Shadows and Darkness
by angelic-ky
Summary: She never intended to enroll in Drogan’s adventuring school, but an event shatters Nikeisha Darkmoon’s life. Left with nothing, but a heart of pain, lies and betrayal, she turned to adventuring, a life she had once claimed to despise. Reviews appreciated.
1. Bittersweet Beginings

She never intended to enroll in Drogan's adventuring school, but an event shatters Nikeisha Darkmoon's life. Left with nothing, but a heart of pain, lies and betrayal, she turned to adventuring, a life she had once claimed to despise. Base on Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of the Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark.

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**A/N: I have re-edited the first lot of chapters that I submitted, the first two chapters have changed a fair bit, and have also combined some chapters into one chapter. I hope you like the changes.**

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**Warning: Story may contain PLOT SPOILER**

Disclaimer

This fiction follows the Neverwinter Night expansion games rather closely. Criticism is not only welcome but also encouraged; only constructive criticisms please, so if you don't like it, please don't just say it sucks; tell me why it does.

Either I or the producers and developers of Neverwinter Nights and its expansions have created all elements of this story, that have been said, this story should not be recopied or used in any way except to enjoy reading it.

I am rating this as PG 13, due to minor sexual references, although they are not much different then what is featured in the actually Neverwinter Night games. Parents please use your own discretion on whether you allow your child to read this fiction.

On an end-note, all characters that do not appear in the game belong to me. Please do not re-create them.

**Now on with the story.**

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The almost eighteen years old, Nikeisha Darkmoon, a half elven girl, laid grief stricken on the bed, her pale skin even paler and her chest hurting in more ways than one. Her dark blood coloured hair conflicting with her cheeks that were flushed red from crying and wet tear stains streaked her face.

Nikeisha had never planned to apprentice herself the dwarven wizard known as Drogan Droganson, a great adventurer now retired in the small village of Hilltop. She had never wanted to be an adventurer, only wanting what most simple village girls wanted; a good husband and children, but with her mother gone and her village in ruins, all she wanted when she first arrived at Drogan's was revenge for the devastation inflicted upon her life.

It had been a month since she arrived, but Drogan had refused to teach her until she had deal with the worst of her grief. That refusal had infuriated Nikeisha during the first week, as she hadn't allowed herself to grieve and wanted to smother her emotions in activity and be able to seek her avengement.

It was only Drogan's simple question of "don't all creatures have the right to live?" that brought Nikeisha back from the brink of becoming a merciless monster and set her on the path she was now on. The question reminded her of the same thing her mother had always taught her, and like a dam bursting, she cried, mourning for her mother and at how she had betrayed her mother's ideals. It was then that she vowed to help others, to not let the same thing happen again.

Prior to Nikeisha arriving, Drogan's previous apprentices had left to be the adventurers that he had trained them to be, all except one. The one that stayed was an elf named Ashuador Fireleaf, and was Nikeisha's best friend. Ashuador and Nikeisha grew up in neighboring villages, he in an elven village and she in a human village; her mother's village.

Being half elf, Nikeisha felt a little like an outsider in her village, and since the age of seven often she would wandered into the forest that surrounded the village. It was during one of her outings that Ashuador stumbled across her. She was upset that day too, Nikeisha recalled to herself.

He had been the first elf she had met and she found him vastly intriguing, part of her hoping that she could find her place amongst elves. Nikeisha soon discovered that she still felt like an outcast, her idiosyncrasies were neither elf nor human, but a little of each and undoubtedly her own.

Ashuador found her very interesting too. His first comment to her was about her ears. _"Are you an elf?" _he had asked her, looking curiously at her ears, ears that are shaped like humans but come to a point at the top, _"because you have the funniest elf ears I've ever seen."_ The intense expression on his face as he playfully examined her ears had sent Nikeisha into gales of laughter and it took a while before she could explain that she was half-elf.

With that opening as prelude to their friendship, it quickly grew to the point that they had no secrets from each other. Both were accepted into the others family as one of the members, and before long Ashuador was calling her _elle seler'_, little sister.

Despite their friendship, or perhaps because of it, Ashuador was for ever getting her into trouble with either his dares or his practical jokes. Nikeisha smiled, however briefly, as she remembered Ashuador daring her to cast light on her mother's bed as a practical joke, but she had cast it on her mother instead as she startle them when she walked into the room.

Fresh tears streamed down Nikeisha's face as the thoughts of the past made her mourn even more.

It was some time later, after her tears had dried, that there was a knock on Nikeisha's room door, and Drogan entered after her response. "How are you feeling today, Nikki?" he inquired as he sat down on the end of the bed, his balding head glittering in the candle light.

"Alright" she replied, giving him a sad little smile.

He smiled back at her, fondly, his glassy grey eyes glittering with kindness and understanding. "Well, I've been giving it some thought and, if you feel up to it, I thought you might like to begin your training tomorrow."

She smiled broadly although still sadden. "That would be nice." She answered.

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The following morning Nikeisha came down the stairs to join Drogan and Ashuador for breakfast. During her grief, Nikeisha had isolated herself in the room and hadn't been about the house. Her emerald eyes were bright as she surveyed the room, sparkling with her usual playfulness; though there was still pain in them, an injury so deep, it scarred the soul. All the same, it was by far more desirable than the chilling deadness that they had during the first week, when she hadn't mourned, but only lusted for revenge.

Nikeisha attention was drawn to the far left of the room where, through a doorway she could hear Drogan preparing the morning's meal perhaps. The smells that came from the room stated that he was. Near that door, in the far corner, stood several bookcases loaded with books on every subject. In front was a plain wooden table surrounded with some plain wooden chairs, the corner was obviously used for studying, and a number of tomes lay open on the table.

Most of the rest of the room was rather empty. Somewhere close by, to her left, a fire crackled. Nikeisha turned her contemplation to the hearth, a fire burned fitfully inside in, warming the common room and in front was two comfortable chairs, and a small table between them. In the chair closes to her sat Ashuador, his golden hair glittering in the flicking fire light. His sky blue eyes stared unseeing into the flames as he dealt with his own grief.

He sighed and lifted his head up sharply as he heard Nikeisha reached the bottom of the stairs. His face brighten as he saw her smile, he had kept his own mourning to himself, protecting her from seeing him grieve so not to upset her more. The worst of her own grief had near past, and her excitement about beginning her training over shadowed it.

Her eyes flicked to Ashuador's items, which were in packs beside him, her eyebrow arched questioning, and she looked at him quizzically. He grimaced as he prepared to tell her something she knew she wasn't going to like. She steeled herself, feeling her exuberance fading.

"Breakfast." Drogan announced emerging from the kitchen, carrying a tray of food across the common room to a room that was to the right of the stairs. Ashuador quickly followed Drogan, his eyes refusing to look at Nikeisha. She sighed irritably and followed as well.

The room that she entered was the Dining room. It was very bare consisting only of a long oval wooden table, that had a beautiful carved pattern around the edge, and six chairs, each with the same carved pattern on the backs. The tray of streaming fried eggs and bacon sat at the upper end, and Drogan took a seat in front of them. Ashuador joint him at the table, sitting to the side of Drogan, and was already heaping food on his plate. Nikeisha sat down opposite to Ashuador, trying to get his attention, but he totally ignored her.

"Nikki you really should have some breakfast," Ashuador told her, shoveling food into his mouth, "Drogan is a wonderful cook, far better than you." He teased her, his eyes gleaming with mirth.

"I'm a good cook!" She retorted back then smiled impishly, "don't you remember the time when I was eight, and made you mud pies?" she giggled wickedly at him, and he laughed.

"How can anyone forget your mud pies, they are the best." He told her jokingly, and she poked her tongue out at him, Drogan laughed at the two of them.

"Have you told her?" Drogan asked Ashuador bluntly as Nikeisha helped herself to some food.

"I am right here." She pointed out playfully.

"Well so you are." Ashuador said in mock amazement, making her giggle again. "I was about to." He then told Drogan seriously, Nikeisha put her fork down and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm waiting." She said sternly, crossing her arms across her generous sized breast, all signs of her playfulness was gone.

Ashuador swallowed hard. "Well, um, with Drogan planning to begin your training," he said, "I thought it might be better if I was to start my adventuring now." Ashuador flinched back as Nikeisha's anger rose, Ashuador, of all people, knew that her temper wasn't to be taken lightly, especially when she's a mage that likes to take her temper out by destroying something.

She stood up, slamming her fist on the table. "So that's it!" she yelled at him, "you're going to leave me here with this… this dwarf that I hardly know."

"Be reasonable, Nikeisha," Drogan told her, trying to placated her, "You knew that he was planning to leave a month ago and I'm hardly a stranger now, am I?"

"Reasonable!" she yelled turning her attention to Drogan, "Reasonable!" her voice went up a level.

"Oh, now that's a mistake." Ashuador said joviality to Drogan. Nikeisha turned her attention back to Ashuador. She knew that she was being unreasonable, and not knowing what to say, she stormed out of the room, leaving her meal untouched. "I think that went rather well." She heard Ashuador say as she ran up the stairs. When she reached her assigned room, she looked around for something to destroy. Seeing nothing, she settled for slamming the door as hard as she could without breaking it; after all, she wanted her privacy.

Some short time later, she heard the soft tap of Ashuador at the door, and then he entered carrying her breakfast. He came over to the side of the bed, placing the plate on the low dresser beside it. "You didn't eat your breakfast." He told her, sitting on the edge. She turned her back on him, sometimes her quietness was worst that her temper. Ashuador sighed.

The food smelt delicious and Nikeisha stomach growled. Finally, she gave in, sitting up she began eating her breakfast. "Do you really have to go, Ash?" she whined, after eating about half of it.

"Yes Nikki, it's for the best. I'm just under foot here." Nikeisha sighed, continuing to eat. "You knew this day would come, Nikki. You got your life and I've got mine." Ashuador stood up, looking out of the window. "I really should get going." He said apprehensively. "The sun is already fairly high." Nikeisha sighed; she nodded her head and got off the bed. They went down stairs and Ashuador walked over to his belongings. Drogan was already in the common room, waiting for them.

Ashuador took a deep breath and looked around the room, fixing the details into his mind. Then he looked at Drogan, and finally Nikeisha. He sighed. "Well I guess this is it."

"It is my boy." Drogan said, holding a hand out to Ashuador. He took it, shaking it in a gruff hand shake. "Now you be careful, and don't come back here because your mouth has gotten you into trouble."

Ashuador smiled, but said nothing. He walked over to Nikeisha, holding his arms out wide for her. She hugged him tightly, not letting him go. "I'll get your mother's ring back from what ever thief stole it." He vowed to her, knowing how much she cherished the ring. Tears glisten in her eyes, partly from Ash leaving, and partly from the mention of her mother.

"Please be careful." She begged him, choking back a sob.

"I will." He promised her. He lend back looking at her face, slowly he wiped away the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. After some difficulty, he managed to detangle himself from Nikeisha's grip and went over to pick his things up. Lastly, he slung his bow over his shoulder, then he looked around for the last time, finally he sighed and left the house.

Nikeisha stood at the front door, watching as Ashuador walked down the path towards the village of Hilltop. Once he was out of sight, she went back inside, wiping away her tears. Drogan was sitting in the same chair that Ashuador had been that morning, and he indicated for her to sit in the other one.

He looked at her for quite a while before speaking. His eyes looked into hers with concern, and a frown creased his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess." He eyes were intense, and she could help herself, she had to add more. "A little sad that Ash left, but I'll be alright."

Drogan nodded. "I'll begin your training then." He announced. "To start with, I like you to address me as Master Drogan."

"Alright, Master Drogan." Nikeisha teased playfully. And so began her training as a sorceress, although she had learnt skills of a ranger from Ashuador's village and skills of a fighter from her mother.

For a while, she was the only student and with only Drogan in the house, she got to know him very well. He was a bit gruff and strict but his nature was like a parent, and he soon filled the void in her life as the father she never knew.

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Nikeisha sat at the table in the corner of the common room. The tiny flame of the candle before her danced hypnotically, as if it was trying to draw her eyes away from her task. Drogan had assigned her the tedious task of researching the names of several spells he had show her the day before, many that she already knew. She sighed and began letting her mind wander.

A little over a month had past since Ashuador had left. Drogan had trained Nikeisha hard as a sorceress, the strongest area of her expertise although he also taught her some skills to enhance her ranger and fight abilities. He pushed her to her limits, leaving her too tired, too exhausted, to even think about Ashuador, let alone miss him.

This was the first time she hadn't done any physical training and she welcomed the rest, despite the assignment's monotony. Her eyes shone like emeralds as the flame lured them into its seductiveness. All bemused she stared.

"Nikeisha!" Drogan snapped from where he sat before the fireplace, relaxing and reading a book. Her body jumped at the sound of his voice. "You are not concentrating." He chimed her. She sighed again, turning her deep green eyes back to the pages in front of her. Suddenly the door slammed open, letting in the cold frigid air of the first days of spring.

She looked over to see a half-orc standing in the doorway; his green coloured skin had turning a slight bluish tinge from the bitter cold. He wore raggedy pants and a tunic that look more like a burlap sack that had been converted, than an item of clothing. In addition, he also had an old patched and threadbare blanket around his shoulders; his stance was as if his clothing was the most regal looking attire in all of Toril.

Nikeisha did not find him regal looking, in fact she found it very comical and burst out laughing. He turn to look at her, seeing her for the first time concealed in the shadows, his deep, dark brown eyes narrowed as he glared at her with an imperious gaze to silence her. Nikeisha only laughed more, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"You dare to laugh at Xanos!" He demanded to her, his face of indigent rage.

"No," she replied, wiping her eyes, "I dare to laugh at you."

"How dare you laugh at the Great Xanos Messarmos!" he exclaimed. Nikeisha realized that he was going to do something rash, and began to prepare herself mentally. To her surprised he didn't attack with brute strength, but haltingly began to cast a spell.

Nikeisha recovered quickly from her surprise, standing up, and began casting her own spell, her hands moving in synchrony with the half-orc's. Together they release their spells, but nothing happen. A look of dismay crossed Xanos' face and Nikeisha laughed with delight.

"I don't know why you think its funny little half-elven," he told her, "your spell didn't work either."

"Well, that would be true," Nikeisha replied, playfully, "if it wasn't for the fact that I wasn't casting a spell." She smiled winsomely, as she saw the confusion on his face. "I was countering your spell." She told him sweetly. Xanos was anger by this and was about to cast another spell when Drogan decided that it was time to stop.

"That's enough from the two of you." Drogan told them sternly as he moved to stand between them.

"Yes Master Drogan." Nikeisha replied meekly.

"She's a student here?" Xanos said incredibly. "This worthless little half-elven is a student."

"I am, not that it matters to you, half-orc." Nikeisha snared back, his words stinging her.

"I told you two that 'that's enough,'" Drogan snapped. "Nikeisha, allowing yourself to be lured into battle like that is deadly, you should know that." She nodded her head mutely, feeling absolutely humiliate and disgusted with herself. "As for Xanos, he is my newest student." Nikeisha felt a hot surge of disappoint at that announcement, things had been great at Drogan's for the past month, but she knew that those days were over. Xanos most definitely wasn't going to make the days great.

_Far from great,_ she thought to herself. "Will that be all?" she asked Drogan politely.

"Yes."

"I think I'll continue my work in my room then." She told them.

"If that's what you want." Drogan agreed.

Nikeisha gather the books she was reading and began to head upstairs. She felt jealous as she saw Drogan already starting to teach Xanos. She knew it was childish, even petty, but she hated Xanos for coming here, for stealing Drogan away from her.

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Xanos Messarmos, a sorcerer like herself, was absolutely convinced that he was the greatest person that had ever lived, and that he was destiny for a life of wealth, luxury, and power. His fondness for the sound of his own voice granted on Nikeisha's nerves, especially considering his favorite topic was himself and his _great destiny_.

Xanos embodied all the characteristic of a half-orc: Tall, greenish skin, dark eyes, and dark hair, with that harsh prominent facial bones and the lower jaw that jabbed out. He was also physically powerful but something uncharacteristic was that he was mentally powerful.

With his mental prowess, he pushed Nikeisha to the limits of hers, but no matter what he said about her, she always was quick to come back with a clever and witty remark about him, never letting him get the best of her. Soon it settled into routine and Nikeisha discovered how much fun it was to bait Xanos into insults, only to out maneuver him.

It wasn't too long after Xanos arrival that a beardless dwarven lass saying that her name was Dorna Trapspringer come to Drogan's asking to become an apprentice as well. Dorna was a rogue but was also a cleric to Vergadain, the god of wealth and luck.

Nikeisha was happy to have Dorna at Drogan; after all, females do need other females for companion, at least, she was happy until Drogan started spent most of his time with Dorna, while Nikeisha was left to help Xanos with his training.

Nikeisha wasn't exactly nice to Xanos about the arrangement, constantly ridiculing Xanos when he did something wrong, not in a mean way but enough to deflate his oversized ego. This continued for around six weeks before she voiced her outrage to Drogan about being left with Xanos.

"Why me?" She complained to him one evening while they sat by the fireplace, revising what her training had taught her so far. The other two had already retired to their rooms to study on their own.

"Beside that you are my eldest student, you are a sorcerer yourself, and you know the stuff that Xanos is learning, my girl." He replied, his glassy grey eyes looking at her over the rim of his glasses.

"Alright, Master Drogan," Nikeisha gave in, fidgeting uncomfortably under Drogan's scrutiny.

"Tell me, my girl, why don't you want to teach Xanos. What do you have against him?" He looked intensely into her emerald eyes, making her squirm even more; she jumped slightly as the fire crackled in the hearth.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, but he just continued to look at her "well it's just that he is obsessed with himself. His convince that he is destined for greatness, and has plans to use what he learns here to become a ruler."

"And why do you have a problem with this?" he asked seeming to be somewhat relieve.

"Well, if he is a bad ruler, he will have to deal with me. I will not allow him to be a tyrant; if he is, I will stop him. I am becoming an adventurer to help others and I will not sit by while he hurts them."

"But what if he's a good ruler and the people love him?"

"Well then I guess I would help him should he require my assistance." She answered, embarrassed of having judged Xanos without any prove.

"I am glad that your problem with Xanos is due to his personality and not because he is half-orc, well kind of," he replied, as he stroked his long grey beard. "I was worried that with what happen to your mother you were judging him from his heritage."

"I have nothing against orcs, Master Drogan." She sounded surprised by Drogan's statement, "You know that they weren't the ones who killed my mother."

"I know, Ashuador told me the whole story. I was worried that you might hold a grudge against orcs as well though."

"That's the real reason why you saddle me up with Xanos, isn't it?" Nikeisha asked shrewdly.

"Well, maybe it was part of the reason," Drogan replied, his eyes twitch slightly with guilt, but nothing else betrayed the truth. Suddenly Drogan laughed.

"I don't think that's very funny, Master Drogan." She said primly.

"I'm sorry Nikki, but talking about Ashuador just reminded me of the time he turned himself green." He chuckled again. "He got into my potion ingredients one day; how he managed it is beyond me, but his turned himself bright green. It took all day to get it off." Drogan smirked, "Apparently he was making something for a prank he was going to do to me. The funniest bit is his remarks about it; he just made it a big joke."

"Ash makes everything a joke." Then she sighed forlornly.

"What's wrong, my girl?"

"I just miss Ash. All my life I never went more than two days without seeing him, at least not until he started his apprenticeship with you."

"You love him dearly, don't you?" he asked Nikeisha compassionately.

"He's my best friend; he is like a brother to me."

"It's getting late," Drogan changed the topic, sensing Nikeisha's sorrow, "and I want to test you tomorrow. Go and get some sleep." He told her gently, knowing that she needed time with her thoughts and memories.

"Alright Master Drogan." She agreed, getting up and going to her bed.


	2. Mischa and Mischief

A year had past and spring had finally returned to the Silver Marches. The ground was still crisp beneath one's foot but the flora had begun to develop a green mist of the leaves budding. The birds called to one another in an expression of love, Nikeisha animal empathy made her understand that in reality the males were making promises to the females; promises that they don't intend to keep.

She lay on her bed with her eyes closed listen to the bird's songs, her dark, blood red hair fanned out across the pillow. Life at Drogan's had settled into a routine; boring and predictable. Drogan's reserved the mornings for Dorna's training, while between lunch and dinner he spent time with Xanos. Nikeisha's own time with Master Drogan was after dinner, before she went to bed. This didn't mean that the times that Master Drogan was with one of the other students Nikeisha had nothing else to do; in fact, quite the opposite was true.

Master Drogan expected that, while he taught one of the other pupils, the students would either study or do their chores. If they did find themselves with nothing to do, Drogan was sure to find something, if he caught one doing nothing. Both Dorna and Nikeisha overcame Drogan catching them when they had nothing to do by simply leaving Drogan's home and going down into the village. In truth, Nikeisha would have loved to leave the village and explore the village surrounding, but Drogan would come looking for her before she could even get out of the gate.

In time, Dorna and Nikeisha made their soiree into the village a little girl's thing while Xanos was in training. They only did it about once a week but each time they returned Master Drogan would reminded them not to leave the village. Nikeisha had a sneaking feeling that Ashuador would often leave the village, which was why Master Drogan was always one-step ahead of her in preventing her from leaving. These outings bought the two of them together and, although they weren't best friends, Nikeisha became to consider the cynical little dwarf as a good friend.

Nikeisha opened her eyes as she heard the half-orc heading down stairs, but continued to lay there. Xanos had taking it to his own accord to make breakfast every morning. The way he could think, with single mindlessness, of only his stomach surprised Nikeisha. She was certain that Xanos volunteering to cook breakfast each morning was due to the fact that both Dorna and she enjoyed lying in each morning, and he just couldn't wait for them to get up, and cook breakfast for him

Nonetheless, he made considerable amount of noise as he prepared breakfast, ensuring to wake up the whole house. The two girls learn quickly that if they wanted breakfast, lying in was not an option, as, should they sleep in, Xanos was sure to eat all of breakfast.

Nikeisha finally got up as she heard him in the dining room, dressing quickly as she considered her relationship with the half-orc. Much had changed between them over the last year or so. Although she still considered him a loud mouth lout, she had grown to like him, not that she would let anyone know that. She would still constantly bait Xanos into telling his long winded story of how he is destined for greatness, only to patronize him. This was a game to them, as he would make similar remakes about how she was Drogan's favorite student and that she was quite the teacher's pet. Dorna, whom was quite older than both Xanos and Nikeisha, simply watched their sparring, although she wasn't one to miss an opportunity to say something cynical to Xanos.

Nikeisha enter the dining room to see the beautiful prepared meal that Xanos, who was already eating, had made. Nikeisha was force to admit that Xanos was a good cook, at least he was after Master Drogan took him aside and gave him a few cooking lessons, his first week of cooking had produced only burnt lumpy porridge.

"Xanos has been thinking about what you said at dinner last night." Xanos mumbled with a mouth full of scrambled eggs, as Nikeisha and Dorna, who had been silently following her, sat down. Nikeisha was aware of Dorna following her, but her ability at walking quietly still amazed her, and she was even startled that Dorna was there at times.

"One is honored that the Great Xanos found ones words worthy of contemplation." Nikeisha said mockingly as she helped herself to some pancakes. Master Drogan hadn't joined them as of yet, which was unusual.

"Mock me if you will but Xanos will show you, Xanos is destined for greatness."

"You know after all this time I still haven't met this Xanos you keep talking about. He sounds like such a great man." She continued to tease him. Xanos spluttered for a moment unable to come up with a response, or, perhaps, just couldn't speak.

"So what did Nikki say that got you thinking?" Dorna asked, more to stop their sparring then out of any real curious.

Xanos lean closer to the girls in a conspiratorial fashion. "Xanos was thinking about the idea of magically enhancing our weapons. Xanos thinks that if we use the right spells it will work."

"Xanos, you heard Master Drogan last night. He told us not to try it on our own." Nikeisha said. "He said that if we do well on our next tests he might show us some ways to do it."

"All this bootlicking teacher's pet, I don't see it making you graduate any fasted." Xanos patronized her. "What the little dwarf don't know, won't hurt him." He stated, pushing away his empty plate.

"Nikki is right Xanos. Besides, even if we knew the proper spells, we wouldn't have time to do it before Master Drogan caught us."

"Any other day we might not have time. But Drogan has left for the day."

"What do you mean?" Dorna asked, startled.

"When Xanos got up this morning, Drogan was speaking to someone at the door. When Drogan saw Xanos, he told me that he had to go out, would be out all day. I also notice that Drogan didn't lock his room door this morning, which is good because I think that we need to use an alchemist's apparatus, and the only one we have is in Drogan's room"

Nikeisha and Dorna looked at one another, Nikeisha noticed that Dorna's dull green eyes were sparkling with excitement, then they looked back at Xanos; quickly they wolfed down the remains of their breakfast excitedly. When they finished, they all got up to begin their experiment, but Nikeisha hesitated.

"I think we should get our chores done first," she said, as she noted the mess still in the dining room.

"Is someone getting cold feet?" Xanos taunted her.

"No. It's just I was thinking that we are going to do this in Drogan's room, if we get caught in his room, we can say that we are creating some focus crystals. But if we haven't done our chores, he will be suspicious of what we have done all day. Besides Dorna can search through some books to see if she can find the proper way to do it, while you and I do the chores."

"Why does Dorna get to do the reading?" Xanos pouted.

"She reads the fastest." Nikeisha shrugged.

It was near noon when Xanos and Nikeisha joint Dorna in Drogan's room. She was sitting in a chair, near Drogan's bed, reading a thick book while running a hand through her auburn hair.

"We do need to use an alchemist's apparatus, but I can't find the proper spells." Dorna informed them as they enter. She got up and put the book back on Drogan's book shelf.

"I suppose we should get started on this." Nikeisha said a bit apprehensively about not knowing what spells to use. They had already bought the weapons they wanted to enhance into the room.

All afternoon they cast spells upon the weapons, but finally they worked out how to do it. Dorna worked hers out first; however, her spells were divine based while the other two were arcane. Eventually Nikeisha was able to enhance her dagger with fire.

As Xanos was doing his, they heard the sound of Drogan arriving home. In his panic Xanos said the incantation wrong, his axe glowed, and a ringing sound like that of a tuning fork hovered in the air, then they hear Drogan entered the house.

Quickly they left Drogan's room and put their weapons into their own rooms. Then they, as calmly as they could went down stairs to see Drogan. Xanos was the first to come down the stairs to greet him, but before anything could be said there came a female squeal from behind Master Drogan followed by the words; "It's an orc! A vile, evil creature!"

Nikeisha groaned inwards while Dorna said a brief prayer under her breath. Xanos deep brown eyes flashed with anger, it was then that they notice the young human girl. Her hair was the colour of honey, while her eyes were aquamarine. She was young, perhaps sixteen years old, and there was youthful enthusiasm in her face.

Nikeisha move quickly before Xanos exploded with an outburst that could, in all probability, upset this innocent seeming girl.

"Hello, I'm Nikeisha Darkfury, a student of Master Drogan." She said, stepping in front of Xanos.

"Oh. Hello," the girl said, regaining her demeanor, "I'm Mischa Waymeet a Paladin of Mystra. Well I want to be a Paladin of Mystra; Master Drogan has just taken me on as a student so that I can become one."

"Oh goodie." Nikeisha heard Dorna say under her breath, cynically.

"Well, how about I take you to your room so you can unpack?" Nikeisha asked, forcing a smile onto her face, her own sentiments echoed Dorna's. She knew that this young enthusiast would be trying.

She led Mischa upstairs, placing her own body between the fuming Xanos and the new student as they went upstairs. As they walked the down the hallway Nikeisha pointed out the rooms of the others. Finally, she stopped in front of her own room, which was adjacent to Master Drogan's room. "This is my room here," she said pointing to the door on her left, "and this will be your room here." She pointed to her right.

"What's in that room?" Mischa asked, pointed at the door in front of them.

Nikeisha stared at Master Drogan's half closed door, realizing that in their rush they hadn't shut the door. "This is my room Mischa." Drogan answered her questioned. Nikeisha felt the colour begin to drain from her face. "I must have forgotten to close it when I left this morning." He mused shutting and locking it. "Oh well, I'm sure that Nikki can tell you how you are not to go in there unless I say so." He said giving Nikeisha a stern look, as if he knew that they had been in there, and then he continued to tell Mischa about his room. "The grinder for making focus crystals is in there, but if you need any come and see me, I'll let you in so that you can make them."

"Focus crystals?" Mischa asked in confusion, as she stowed her belongings into her new room.

"They're to power the ring I gave you. The ring can automatically teleport you to my side if you get too overwhelmed with the test I set you, or you can do it voluntarily." Drogan explained as they walked back down stairs, where Dorna had pacified Xanos and was now making dinner.

Nikeisha left Mischa with Drogan and went over to where Xanos was sulking in the study corner, obviously avoiding Mischa. "What spell did you cast on your weapon?" she whispered to him.

"I'm not sure." He replied.

"I think it might of being a sonic spell."

"Bah! Who knows, it probably didn't work anyway."

"This here is Xanos Messarmos." Drogan had come over to where they were standing. Obviously, he was introducing Mischa around.

"Bah! The little strumpet doesn't want to meet the Great Xanos! She thinks he is vile and evil."

"Please forgive my outburst." Mischa said in a contritely little voice. "The village I was from had been attacked by orcs in the past and I was bought up to believe that all orcs are evil creatures. I guess that the human in you would show you the ways of goodness." She almost seemed to be preaching to him.

"Ah." Drogan ventured, seeing Xanos nostrils beginning to flare, "How about I introduce you to Dorna now." And with that, he took her to the kitchen leaving Xanos spluttering in the corner.

"'The human in you would show you the ways of goodness'" Xanos mocked her in outrage, disbelieve. "Bah!"

Nikeisha nodded her sentiments, knowing that Xanos didn't hold his human half in high esteem, and in fact, she partially agreed with him knowing full well that humans were capable of evil just like everything else. Privately she had to admit that she was in awe of the way Mischa left Xanos speechless, perhaps she might not be so trying after all.

The next morning, before the sun had fully risen above the terrain, Nikeisha awoke with the sound of Xanos voice in full rage. Quickly she rolled out of bed, her hand grabbing the hilt of her dagger as she done so. As she left her room, she saw Dorna come out of her room, which was next to Nikeisha's, on the right.

"Xanos will not train with her!" Xanos voice filtered up through the floorboards.

Dorna look at Nikeisha, puzzled. Then Nikeisha noticed that Mischa wasn't in her room. They headed down stairs; all the while Xanos continued his fit of rage. As they entered the common room, they saw Drogan there trying to calm the enrage Xanos and off to one side was Mischa, looking like one whom had been rebuked.

"Why can't Dorna or Nikeisha do it?" Xanos demanded, seeing them enter.

"Because I said that you are to do it." Drogan answered sternly, with note finality to it.

"What's that smell?" Dorna asked suddenly. Then Xanos noticed the smoke coming from the kitchen, he raced in, just in time to douse the breakfast he was cooking, which had caught fire. In a huff, he threw out the food and began cooking a new lot, while ignoring the request of Nikeisha and Dorna on why he and Master Drogan were arguing about.

As the morning progressed, it became evident what the argument was about, as Master Drogan told Dorna that he would teach her after lunch, instead of in the morning. He was going to start training Mischa, and Xanos was going to help.

After breakfast, when the sun was clearly in the sky, Drogan took Mischa and the reluctant Xanos outside and around to the back of the house. Quickly Dorna and Nikeisha clear the dishes than headed up to their own rooms, where they could watch what was happening from their windows.

"You want me to attack her." Xanos asked incredibly, a slight eagerness was in his voice.

"No, my dear boy, you just need to block her attacks." Drogan said. "I want to see how she handles her sword."

"Alright." Xanos said slightly disappointed, readying himself with his axe.

"Are you ready?" Mischa asked timidly.

"The Great Xanos was born ready." He replied.

With that, she began her attack. Xanos easily parried her strokes. "Ah, our little Mischa seems to be lacking is skill." Xanos taunted her, with that; she made a defiant swing at him. Xanos had to move quickly to block her. As their weapons clashed there was a ringing sound of steel meeting steel, but overlaying it was a ringing that emanated from Xanos' axe, then Mischa sword broke in half.

Everyone stood where they were, dumbfounded, then Drogan seem to realize something. He took the axe from Xanos and swung in at an inoffensive crate that was at the back of the house, again, there was the ringing sound.

Cold fury entered his eyes, making them seem greyer than usual, and then he saw Nikeisha and Dorna at the windows. "You two down here now!" he bellowed at them. "And bring your own weapons!"

Guilty, they trooped outside and over to where Master Drogan was. He didn't say a word to them, but disappointment could be clearly read upon his face, as he took the weapons off them.

"Nikeisha, take Mischa down to Fiona and get her a new sword." He finally said. "You better get yourself and the others new weapons too, ones without magical enhancements. Tell her I'll fix her up with the money later." Nikeisha nodded and then led Mischa into the village.

She was greatly upset about Drogan taking her dagger. The dagger had been a gift from her grandfather, before he had died. Nikeisha knew that Dorna would be upset too; her battleaxe was special to her, having something to do with her heritage.

"What's going on Nikeisha? Why is Master Drogan so angry?" Mischa asked as they past Drogan's barn. She seemed apprehensive even frighten by Drogan's anger.

"We did something that Master Drogan told us not to do. We didn't think he'll find out." She replied abruptly. "I guess we didn't think about what we were doing."

"Oh." Mischa said her bottom lip quivering in respond to Nikeisha sudden curt manner.

"I'm sorry Mischa." She apologized gently placing an arm around Mischa's slim shoulders. "I didn't mean to take my annoyance out on you. It just my dagger is special to me I don't like it being taken from me. Besides with me being the longest student here, I expected that I'll be in more trouble than the others."

"It's alright," Mischa said with a small smile, "and I'm sure Master Drogan will be reasonable in his punishment." Nikeisha smiled weakly at her, but didn't say anything else about it.

They walked wordlessly through the village. The village was silent, with the bitter cold air keeping everyone indoors. The silence was broken by the sounds of children's voice coming from the community hall, a large building in the center of the village used for many things, as for today it was used as the local school. The noise level indicated that lessons had not yet began.

"If you want your sword fix, Fiona will be able to fix it." Nikeisha offered leading the way to a building somewhat diagonal to the hall.

"No, it's alright. It was merely the only sword I could afford." She said looking ashamed.

"It's alright Mischa." She told the younger girl gently. "All of us came here with not much more than the clothes on our backs."

"Oh, but you have such nice clothes." Mischa said admiring the clothes she wore and the thick black velvet cloak that was beautifully embroidered around the collar and the edge of the hood.

"I make them myself." She told her smiling, pleased at Mischa's comment. "My mother was a dressmaker." She said sadden at the memory of her mother.

"Oh, I love to sew too." Mischa stated enthusiastic, not noticing Nikeisha's pain. "Perhaps you could help me make some clothes?"

"Of course." Nikeisha agreed smiling through her sorrow.

"Who is this Fiona?" Mischa asked.

"The village blacksmith."

"A woman is the blacksmith?" Mischa asked in amazement.

"Yes. She's an odd woman with an odd sense of humor. Don't take what she says personally, she's always joking about." Nikeisha cautioned as she walked into the smithery. Nikeisha rather like Fiona, she was one of the few villages of Hilltop that didn't judge Nikeisha for being half elf.

"Ah, another person wanting my skills?" A large, tall woman asked as they approached her. "I wonder who this person is." The woman had light brown hair with golden brown eyes.

"Hello Fiona, how has your day been?" Nikeisha asked politely

"And she even knows my name" Fiona said in mock surprise. "I am just kidding Nikki, no need for a long face." She hastened, seeing the look on the red head's face.

"I'm sorry; it hasn't been a good day."

"Oh?" She asked curious

"This is Mischa." Nikeisha introduced the newest student, ignoring Fiona's curiosity.

"Another one of Drogan's little pests." Fiona teased, "I'm only playing with you," she quickly explain, noted Mischa look of righteous outrage. "People here say I have an odd humor."

"Master Drogan sent us here to get Mischa a sword and a new dagger for myself and battleaxes for the other two."

"Alright then," she said going and getting the weapons. "So what types do you want?"

"You better make it without enhancements."

"Oh?"

"Master Drogan confiscated our old weapons because we added enhancements."

"Oh my," Fiona said in dismay handing the weapons to Nikeisha and Mischa. "I can't believe he took them of you for adding enhancement. He should be proud of you all."

"Well, Xanos kind of broke Mischa's sword because of the enhancement."

"It was only a cheap sword." Mischa interjected

"Oh, I see."

"Thank you for these, Master Drogan said he would fix you up with the money."

"Alrighty, you keep out of trouble now." Fiona said as they left.

Xanos was cleaning out the barn as they went back to Drogan's home. He seemed very disgruntled about cleaning up after cows. "Be wary Nikeisha, Drogan is very discombobulated with us; He has degraded the Great Xanos down to a stable hand." Xanos informed them in disgust. Dorna was in the kitchen scrubbing the floor as they entered the house. "He is in his room." Dorna said without looking up.

Drogan was sitting quietly in the same chair that Dorna had been sitting in the previous day; he looked up at Nikeisha as they entered the room. A great sadness was in his face, but his eyes were still frosty with anger.

"Mischa, will you leave us" Drogan said to her. It wasn't a question.

"Of course. I'll put these weapons into everyone's room, and then I'll go outside and read my prayer book to Mystra." She said, as she turned to leave she whisper to Nikeisha "Gook luck." Then she left.

Drogan continue to sit quietly in his chair, listen to Mischa move about, and then they heard her go down stairs. Finally, he got up and headed towards the alchemist's apparatus, signaling for Nikeisha to follow. It wasn't unto he was standing in front of the alchemist's apparatus that he spoke.

"I must say I am proud of you, Nikeisha." He said in his gruff voice. Nikeisha stood next to him, stunned by his words. "Proud that you didn't destroy a single thing." He continued bitterly. "Do you think that I place rules for no reason?" Before she could answer that, he began to cast a spell, ray of enfeeblement, Nikeisha easily identified. He released the spell upon a dagger that was on the alchemist's apparatus, there was a loud bang followed but a great deal of smoke, Nikeisha jumped in surprise.

"That is but one on the dangers." He said looking sternly at her. "Can you imagine what might happen if cast a really improper spell." Nikeisha nodded, swallowing hard. "Good, because of have heard of towers being destroyed because a mage got careless." The smoke had evaporated by now and Drogan picked up the now frail looking dagger, the blade was pitted with rust, looked as if it would disintegrate, as did the hilt.

"This is the second danger." Drogan said handing the dagger to her, as she took it by the hilt, the blade broke off, falling to the floor into a crumble mass of rust. "I know how much both you and Dorna value your weapons; they have important significance to you. You would be greatly upset if they were ruin. But the spell can do this to other things than what was the target." He pointed to a piece of metal that had been on a table to the side, what the metal had been, Nikeisha could not tell.

"The other danger was; what would have happened had Xanos aim being lower?" He looked at her intensely, and she writhed beneath his look. "It could have killed Mischa." He answered for her in a deadly voice. "Do you know what disappoints me the most?"

"What?" Nikeisha said flatly, feeling her temper rise at being held responsible.

"Mischa sees that the others look up to you. She is young and impressionable, it's already evident that she too is looking up to you, and this is the impression you set for her on only her second day."

"Well, we didn't know that she was coming!" She almost yelled at him.

"Neither did I, until I got the message yesterday morning, saying that she was on her way and needed to be picked up at Blumberg." He said, "Oh, I knew she was coming eventually, but I wasn't going to take her on as a student until you and the others had finished. But there were circumstances and she had no where else to go. You know all about that, of course your circumstance is far different than hers." He told her bluntly. "But would it have changed things had you known? Perhaps things might have been more thought out, but you still would have done it."

"I'm not a child!" she yelled, stamping her foot in anger.

"Well, stop acting like one then!" He yelled back, finally raising his voice.

Nikeisha looked at him defiantly. "And what is to be my punishment?"

"I'm going to give back your dagger; I have already giving back Xanos and Dorna's weapons, but you are not to use it in training. As for a punishment, I think this knowledge is punishment enough, but you will also share the same fate as the other two."

"Which is?

"No training for a week. Instead you will do chores?"

"Chores!" Nikeisha yelled incredibly. "Like scrubbing the floors and cleaning the barn?"

"Yes. I think you can start with chopping logs for the fire, at least you can take your temper out on the logs." Petulantly she when off to begin her punishment. "Don't break anything on your way to the logs." Drogan called after her, the only answer he got was the loud slam of his room door followed a few moments later by an even louder slam at the front door.


	3. Past Troubles

After one week, Master Drogan's home was spotless. He started out with the more demeaning, time consuming and boring tasks that he could think of, and by the week's end, he was hard press to find even the most mundane task that needed doing. The only good thing about their punishment was that when it finished they had time to themselves - a rare thing.

Of course, on the day that Drogan began training Nikeisha, Dorna, and Xanos again it had to pour down rain. It was normal for the Silver Marshes to be raining; at this time of the year, there was seldom any sunny day, but it was raining so hard that one could not see out the window through the water that pounded against it.

Nikeisha had hope that, with the house and its surrounds so immaculate, she would be able to sneak away while Drogan began training Dorna once again, and see outside of Hilltop, perhaps even go to the High Forest. She long to return to the High Forest but obviously some greater individual was doing everything possible in making sure she didn't; well that was her superstitious belief anyway.

Nikeisha sat in the study corner, merely looking at the window, considering the fact she couldn't see out of it. Mischa sat opposite from her, running a whetstone along her sword filling out the nicks that had accumulated during her morning training. Xanos sat in front of the fire reading his usual book, shuddering at the noise.

"Will you stop that noise!" Xanos snapped, turning in his seat to look at them. Mischa flinched back at the sound of his voice and her lower lip began to tremble. She still was not use to the other students, and Nikeisha had discovered that she was quite sensitive.

Nikeisha turned from the window, her eyes flashing with green fire. "Xanos!" she commanded, "That is no way to speak to her. Besides," she added spitefully, "she is doing something to do with her training, unlike you."

"Bah. What would you know, little half-elf?" Xanos said dismissing what she had said. "You do realize that you aren't more superior to the rest of us, like you think."

"Believe what you will." She replied with an air of seniority. Xanos was right; she did boss the others around, but she was only doing it for their own good, at least that is what she believed, "but if you spent more time learning Master Drogan's lessons and less time reading that book, you would be use to that sound." She told him smugly.

"Drogan takes too long to teach what I need to know. I'm a sorcerer not a fighter; I don't have need of a weapon."

"Then why do you have one?" Xanos open his mouth several times to reply but no words came out. "You don't take care of your equipment and you are forever reading that book." Nikeisha continued to dig. "Why did you even come here?"

"Bah! I've told you before, why would you ask to hear it again?"

"Oh yes, Great Xanos, and his even greater destiny." Nikeisha mocked.

"Oh would you tell me about it?" Mischa almost begged. She had spent a fair bit of the past week trying to reform Xanos into the pillar of goodness, her efforts resulting in many arguments between them, many that ended with Mischa fleeing in tears.

"Please Xanos, please do tell us." Nikeisha pleaded with mischief sparkling like green fire in her eyes, even as she playfully clasped her hands together in front of her chest.

"Oh, please Xanos?" Mischa chimed in. She actually was on the verge of begging now.

"I will humor you this once." He consented. "Someday, far in the future, you will look back on the days you have known me and rejoice that you were close to someone who was so destined for greatness!"

"You know, this attitude is really getting old." Nikeisha said spitefully, tired of hearing Xanos own superior attitude.

"It is my destiny to achieve greatness. None will deny the will of Xanos! I know you all may doubt me, but I will show you! I will work as hard as it takes, do whatever it may take, to achieve this goal." Xanos began to rant.

"Do not let your obsessions consume you." She warned him, her instincts telling her that this obsession would become his ruin.

"Fear not, little half-elven, I am in full control of myself. But I shall not be denied on my path to power. If anything in my life has shown this. It is my will cannot be denied!"

"What has shown this?" Mischa asked curiously.

"My life of hardship and regret, the times I have…" he broke off what he was about to say. "Bah! Xanos is not weak like the others. Though I may not speak of it, I have my own troubles. These are none of your concern." Xanos announced, as he gathered up his book and stood up. "Rest assured that greatness is what I seek. It is my destiny." He added as he stormed off up stairs.

It was unfortunate, perhaps, that it was at that moment that Master Drogan and Dorna returned in time to see Xanos' flight. Drogan stared after the fleeing half orc then shifted his gaze upon Nikeisha.

"I didn't do anything." She protested before he could speak

"For your sake, I hope you are telling the truth," Drogan warned her, "I would hate to extend your punishment by another week."

"But I didn't do anything!" She affirmed, baffled by Xanos departure. "He was just telling us why he came here." Nikeisha said in a little voice as Drogan left the room.

Xanos avoided them all for the rest of the day. The only time he came out of his room was for his training with Master Drogan.

Nikeisha spent almost as much time in her room as Xanos did. Despite her protest of innocence, she somehow she felt that Xanos outburst and his consequently sadness was her fault. She had teased, mocked, and taunted him.

She didn't sleep much that night. Her sense of guilt stirring up other buried guilt. She kept dreaming of her mother dying, and being helpless to save her. She woke up, finally able to rip herself from the nightmare. She lay silently in her bed, allowing the cool night air to brush over her face, hoping that it will brush away the nightmares.

She was unsure how long she lay there, but the air smelled like dawn was only a couple of hours off and the rain had finally abated, when she heard someone get up and head off downstairs. Curiosity and inability to sleep lead her to follow. She found Xanos in the kitchen pilfering some bread and cheese from their stores.

"Ah, Nikeisha, you follow the great Xanos."

"I couldn't sleep." she replied, ignoring his remark whilst breaking off some of the cheese from the large piece he held in his hand.

He didn't speak to her again, but instead preceded to the dining room, where he sat to eat his bounty. Nikeisha trailed behind him, feasting on her own thievery. Still he didn't speak, and for some time they sat in silence.

During that silence, Nikeisha went through the conversation from the pervious day in her mind. It wasn't long until she realized that Xanos had not actually told them why he had come to Master Drogan's. She began to remember all the other times she had asked the same question to Xanos and discovered that he hadn't once told her why.

"You know Xanos, you have never once told me exactly why you are here." Nikeisha blurted out before she even considered that perhaps he didn't want to tell her.

"I forgot about that. You had asked hadn't you?" Xanos said contritely with a short laugh. "I guess I get a little carried away."

"So…?" Nikeisha asked impatiently.

"Yes, yes. I avoid, I know. Fine, I will tell you now." Xanos sighed, and he spent the rest of the darken hours telling Nikeisha about how the people of his village had drove him out because of his heritage and sorcerer power. He also told her that the book he reads is a historical book and how by looking at history, learning the mistakes of those of the past, he would become a great ruler.

Even as Nikeisha help Xanos prepare breakfast, she still had her doubts about him, but now she had some hope for him as well. His so called destiny meant the freedom of those that lived under a tyrant's rule, but were Xanos' methods of a barbaric and tyrant way, only time would tell.

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The season progressed along, even this far north. Spring became summer, summer gave way to autumn, and then chilly winter arrived, but spring came back, at last. Nikeisha enjoyed spring, not only for the smell of rebirth and continuation, but because her birthday was on the spring equinox.

In the past year, life at Master Drogan's had become somewhat entertaining in Nikeisha's opinion. Mischa constantly tried to reform Xanos from the idea of being a ruler, which only led to arguments between them, spurred along by Dorna, who frequently incited them. Of course, Mischa would nearly always look for Nikeisha to stick up for her, not that she minded all that much.

Nikeisha had grown to like the young paladin, although her views were terribly conventional, as if there was only good or evil, nothing in between. While Mischa try had to change Xanos; Nikeisha and Dorna worked just as hard to make her see that the world wasn't black and white.

As Nikeisha birthday came closer, the community of Hilltop began their preparations for their annual spring festival. Nikeisha didn't make an issue that her birthday was near, well not a big issue, but the other students all got excited about it, for Master Drogan had made it that, whenever it was a student birthday, they had the day off from training, as well as chores. And with no chore or training, they could join in the celebration with the village.

It was the day before Nikeisha's birthday and they were all sitting in the dining room, having dinner, and discussing what they were planning to do the next day when there was suddenly a knock at the door. They all were surprised by it and stop talking immediately.

"Who's there?" Xanos called out, not bothering to get up. There was no answer, so they when back to what they were talking about. Then the knock came again.

"Just get up and answer the door Xanos." Nikeisha said, as he was the closes to it.

"Why should Xanos answer the door?" He asked her in his usual superior tone.

"Because I told you to do it." She answered in a similar tone, knowing it would infuriate him.

"And why don't you do it."

"Well, it's my birthday tomorrow, and you like me too much to have me do anything on the eve of my birthday." She replied sweetly, smiling innocently at him.

"Never mind Xanos, I'll do it." Master Drogan said going over to the door and opening it. There was no one there, but a piece of blue cloth, with the silver initials A.F. embroidered in Nikeisha's familiar needle work, was tied around the door handle.

"Who is it Master Drogan?" Mischa asked, as they all come out into the common room. Drogan look at Nikeisha, while she looked first at then blue cloth then Drogan and back at the cloth.

"What's that cloth?" Dorna asked curiously.

"Well it's about time someone let me in." Someone said from behind them all. They spun around to see a handsome looking elf, with a bow slung across his shoulder, standing in the center of the room, neither Master Drogan nor Nikeisha was surprised to see him, but the others were. "Close the door Drogan, it's still cold out there." The elf said, and then he looked at Nikeisha. "Ah, my elle seler'" he said to her.

"Ashuador!" She squealed like a little girl, as she run into his arms and hugged him.

"Elle seler'?" Dorna asked curiously

"It means 'little sister,'" Nikeisha informed her, now standing next to the man. She was only a little bit shorter than he.

"He's your brother?" Mischa asked slightly confused, as Nikeisha was a half-elf and they didn't look at all alike, with his golden blonde hair and sky blue eyes and her flaming blood red hair and emerald green eyes.

"In a spiritual sense, Mischa. We are merely very close." She looked around the room, "Well, I suppose that introductions are in order. This is Ashuador Fireleaf, my best friend and a former student of Master Drogan's." Nikeisha said pointing to the elf, "These are Mischa, Dorna, and Xanos." She told Ashuador, point at each in turn.

"It's a pleasure to meet my elle seler' friends and fellow students." Ashuador said rather formally, Nikeisha looked at him suspiciously, but he ignored her look and continued. "I trust that you have been good to her, despite the fact that she is bossy and controlling, and when all else fails she unleashes her sugary sweet personality and smiles." He finished, giving her an impish smile, Drogan burst out laughing.

"Oh, Xanos likes him." Xanos stated imprudently, also laughing.

"Well that's nice, I'm sure, but I prefer girls, I don't go for men." Ashuador teased. This was Nikeisha's turn to laugh.

Xanos puzzled over what had been said for a few moments, and then his brutish face took on the look of shock, outrage. "Are you implying that Xanos is fond of men in a romantic way?"

"You mean your not?" Ashuador said in mock disbelief. All of them laughed at this.

"So Ashuador, how did you get in without us seeing you?" Mischa asked in a breathless voice. Nikeisha notice that dangerous sign, and groaned inwards.

"Ah, me dear girl," he said, also noticing Mischa's infatuation, "I have ranger skills, like Nikeisha, we learnt it from our village elders." He said, sliding up close to her, making her blush. "The divine essence of the forest granted me the spell of camouflage," he smiled impishly at Nikeisha again. "The divine essence wasn't fooled by Nikki's sweet ways, she just got all arcane spells, a few of them I have of my own."

"I thought you said that you grew up in a human village, Nikki." Dorna accused.

"I did," Nikeisha remonstrated, "Ash's village was near mine. I was at his village as much as I was at my own."

"Which wasn't very much, we were in the forest most of the time." Ash interjected.

"And what were you doing in the forest so often, together and alone?" Dorna inquired suggestively.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ashuador replied with a smirk.

"Ash!" Nikeisha exclaimed, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"So what were you both doing?" Mischa asked with a slight bitterness to her voice.

"What any couple of children would do in a forest." Ashuador replied, deterred from his playful teasing by the dangerous look Nikeisha was giving him, instead he began to openly appraising Mischa, making her blush more.

"Will you leave her alone?" Nikeisha demanded of him in elven.

"What? I'm not going to do anything." He replied, also in elven. "I'm just having a little bit of fun."

"She doesn't know that. She's young, you'll break her heart."

"Alright." He said, and stopped ogling her.

"What did you two just say?" Mischa asked curiously, regaining her composure.

"Nothing Mischa, never mind." She reassured her. "So why are you here, Ash?"

"What?" he exclaim in mock surprise, "Can't I come and see my favorite person, especially on her birthday?" he replied innocently.

"My birthday isn't until tomorrow." Nikeisha said bluntly, giving him a look that told him just as bluntly, that she didn't believe a word he said.

"Well it's better early than late." He replied, unconcerned about her look.

"Dinner is getting cold," Master Drogan suddenly announced, "why don't you join us, my boy, I'm sure there's enough for you as well."

"Of course, that will be nice, providing that Nikki didn't cook it." He teased her, as Nikeisha was as good a cook as Xanos. "Just let me get my handkerchief off the door first."

As he got his cloth off the door, the rest went back into the dining room. When Ashuador entered the room, he sat in the empty chair next to Nikeisha's and he put the handkerchief into her right hand while it was under the table. Startled she went to look at what was in there.

"Shh. Don't. Look at it later." He whispered to her in elven, and then began to help himself to dinner. She placed it into the pouch on her belt and continued her own meal.

"So, my dear boy, what brings you back here? Did your mouth finally get you into some trouble that you can't handle?" Drogan asked.

"Drogan!" Ashuador exclaimed, sarcastically, "I'm an accomplished arcane archer. There's no trouble that I can't handle."

Master Drogan laughed heartily. "My boy, will you even grow up?"

"Well now, that sounds like a lot to ask for." They all laughed, except Mischa, whom look at him with glowing admiration.

"Arcane archer?" she breathed.

"Yes. I'm a skilled bowman, while utilizing wizardry in combat with a combination of my ranger enchantments." Ashuador explained, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"You're making fun of me." Mischa accused, pouting.

"Would I do that?" he said in mock innocence. Mischa couldn't help not to laugh, and dinner passed with the silvery peals of laugher in the air, as Ashuador continuously amuse them with his ironical wit.

After dinner, the other students went to their rooms for either study or sleep, while Master Drogan took Nikeisha for her training. Ashuador tagged along anxious to see how well his 'elle seler'' had progressed under Drogan's tutelage. Nikeisha suspected that he just wanted to watch her make a mistake so he could taunt her about it later.

After the training session, Nikeisha escorted Ashuador to the spare room, next to Xanos' room.

"Ah, my old room," Ashuador said looking at it fondly, and then he looked at Nikeisha in the same manner. "Your skills have come far." He said seriously, lightly kissing her on the cheek. "Go to bed and get some rest." With that, he entered the room.

Nikeisha continued down the hall to her own room, once inside she began to change into her sleepwear, as she finished changing, she heard someone out in the hall. The person move silently, and it was only because of her skilled listening that she heard the person at all. She heard the person open Master Drogan's door, and then Master Drogan's brusque voice.

"What are you doing in here, my boy?" He demanded

"The Harpers gave me a message for you." Nikeisha recognized Ashuador's voice, and it was still serious.

"What's the message?" Nikeisha was surprised; she had no clue who or what the Harpers were.

"Here." She heard the rustling of parchment.

"Hmm." Drogan was obviously reading something.

Nikeisha went to move close to the door, but she nearly tripped on her belt. It was then that she remembered that Ashuador had given her something. Her curiosity on what Ash had given her override her curiosity on what was being said in the other room, after all she could still hear them, if only just.

"I'll leave you now." Ashuador said at the same time that she removed the bundled up cloth from her pouched, and sat on the end of her bed. She opened the cloth to reveal a gold ring. As she looked at the ring, she didn't hear her door open.

The ring was rather plain; it was a gold band with a leaf design, raised upon the band's surface, encircling it. Inside the band was a simple inscription, as she read it tear began to run down her cheek.

"It's alright." Ashuador said, sitting next to her and enfolding her into his arms.

"My mother's ring." She said in utter disbelief, crying as memories came back to her. The ring had been stolen off her mother's dead body, and it was only thing that had any connection to Nikeisha's father.

"I told you I would get it back from whatever thief stole it."


	4. Village Fair

When Nikeisha awoke the following morning she was in her bed, but she didn't remember getting into it, and there was sounds of activity in the village. The ring, her mother's ring, sat on the low chest of draws that was beside her bed. Seeing it again nearly made her cry, but she swallowed back the tears. Her eyes still felt red and puffy from last night.

She dressed slowly and at the last minute decided to wear the ring. After all, she certainly didn't want it to be stolen again; not that anything is ever stolen at Hilltop. Plus wearing the ring made her feel closer to her mother and father's spirits.

As she came down the stairs and into the common room, she saw Ashuador looking out of a window and heard Xanos preparing breakfast in the kitchen. As Ash heard her walk in, he turned and looked at her with concern, noting that she wore the ring.

"Are you all right?" He asked her in elven, as she came over to him. She nodded, and he smiled at her. "Happy birthday by the way, how old are you this year? Thirty?"

"I'm twenty!" Nikeisha almost screamed at him in indignation. Then she caught his smirk and she almost laughed.

"Ah, so the little birthday girl is already up." Xanos said, coming out of the kitchen. "I guess you are expecting me to wish you happy birthday." He looked at her for a moment, and then when back to cooking breakfast.

Gradually the others come down for breakfast and they all wished her happy birthday. When breakfast was finished, it was still early, and the village festival hadn't quite started yet, so all went about the house doing their own thing. Master Drogan and Ashuador were talking together in one corner of the common room, while Xanos and Dorna were in their rooms; Mischa sat quietly in a chair in another corner of the common room and Nikeisha sat, just as silently, in the chair next to hers.

"So tell me what's really going on between you and Ashuador, and don't give me that 'little sister' business." Mischa demanded, her voice scarcely audible, but it was flat with jealous rage.

"What are you talking about?" Nikeisha replied softly, surprised at her.

"I saw him come out of your room late last night." Mischa flared.

"Nothing is going on. We grew up together, I could never think of him any other way but as an alta toror', a big brother," she was stunned by Mischa's intensity. "Mischa, I haven't seen him for over two years, we are close, and we were just catching up, in private."

"And what did you have to say to one another in your room, that you couldn't say in elven. No one knows elven here; things would have been just as private."

"Don't push it Mischa," she told the young girl in a coldly furious voice, not willingly or wanting to reveal neither the ring, nor the memories that it brought up. Mischa visibly flinched away from her, she, like the rest, knew how bad Nikeisha's temper could be. Mischa said nothing more, but sat there in sulkily silence with the look of one that had been severely reprimanded.

About mid morning they went down into the village to join the beginning of the festivities. Even thought it was spring, the grounds were still frozen solid and blanketed in white, but, here and there, new green growth speckled the snow.

Mischa still wasn't talking to Nikeisha, but she still tagged along, presumably because Ashuador was with them, Nikeisha thought wearily. Nikeisha morning hadn't really started all that well, and she wished that she hadn't gotten up.

Initially Master Drogan's students were excited about the festival, but the exhilaration was more out of the sense that they had a free day than from the festival itself. They all quickly grew bored, as the festival consisted of the women of the village displaying their crafts that they had made throughout the past year and men displaying their skills in either fighting or farming.

The women's crafts involved different types of embroideries, knitting, and tailoring. The older women of the community also hosted group sessions, where they would show the younger girls how to do these domestic crafts. The sessions were really only so the women could get together and gossip, as all the women knew how to do all of these crafts.

While the women gossiped, the men talked about farming and farming equipment and farming techniques and, well you get the picture. This was just as stimulating for the would-be adventurers as "watching turnips grow" to put in Xanos' words.

They moved away from the farmers to the watched the village guards showing off their fighting prowess, a tribute from Mayor Veraunt Shuttlescomb in an effort to reassure his citizens that his men can defend the village. As they pass the home of Molly-lee Thomas, one of the older ladies who were 'teaching' some girls to embroider, she came over to them. She was a slightly chubby woman, with dark hair that was graying at the temples and grey, stern eyes that looked at the students with contempt.

"Hello there." She said in false cheerfulness. They all greeted her perfunctorily. "Oh, Ashuador it is so good to see you again. Maybe now that you had your little adventure, you will settle down with a lovely young woman and have a family, I do recall that a lot of the young lasses here were quite smitten with you." Both Ashuador and Nikeisha nearly laughed at that. Molly-lee didn't seem to notice their reaction but continued her diatribe. "Perhaps you could tell these young ladies that adventuring isn't the sort of thing for them to do." Molly-lee was forever trying to convince Master Drogan's students that they shouldn't adventure, especially the females.

"Ah," Ashuador ventured, "they are all young adults. I'm sure they can decide for themselves."

Molly-lee sniffed disdainfully at him, and then turned her attention to the three girls. "I was hoping that you girls would join us in our little get together, we are doing cross-stitch, and back-work. We only just started." She said hopefully. Although both Mischa and Nikeisha love to do little embroideries, they loath to do it in a room full of gossiping women, while Dorna on the other hand, loath the whole idea.

"Ah, we would Mrs Thomas but-" Nikeisha paused, unable to think of a good reason not to.

"Oh! Look!" Ashuador suddenly exclaimed in fraudulent enthusiasm. "It's Venny Marlson! And it looks like he is the Captain of the Guard now! Come on lets go see him." And off he went, in a quick pace, with the others dragged along behind him, and Mrs Thomas left standing there with a look of dismay upon her face, then she when back inside.

Once she was gone, Ashuador slowed, "Oh Nikeisha," he said as they walked over to the guards, "I love you elle seler', but really you are too nice for your own good. You need to stand up for yourself, I know you can." Now it was Mischa's turn to sniff at him disdainfully, then she hurried over to where a where a pair of youthful guards were demonstrating their skills with battleaxes.

"What?" Ashuador called after her, "what did I do?"

They followed her to where she stood watching the boys joust with each other. They watched them silently, but a small smirk had crept onto Xanos' face, and as the fight progressed in got more and more pronounced. As the mock fight finished Xanos burst of laughing.

"What so funny, half-orc?" the brown headed son of Mrs Thomas demanded, sneering at him.

"Your skills, little human."

"Well, if you think you are better than us, why don't you duel one of us?" The other young man, a blonde headed boy named Connor, boasted, glancing towards Mischa, as if seeing how his words impacted on her.

"Xanos will take you up on that." He stated.

"But Xanos you don't have any weapon." Mischa interposed.

"Drogan's house is only up the hill, my empty headed little strumpet."

"How dare you speak to her like that!" Connor fumed, his brown eyes flashing. "Landon, I think I'll duel him." Connor said to Mrs Thomas' son. Mischa's cheeks flushed, obviously the idea of someone fighting for her stirred her juvenile side.

"Xanos is pleased that you decided. Now don't go away I'll be right back." And he left to get his axe. When he returned the duel began.

Connor made the first stoke, which Xanos easily parried, and then another, followed by yet another one. Xanos, Nikeisha noted, wasn't even beginning to make a move, but he was in complete control. Xanos merely toyed with the boy, taunting him.

Nikeisha watched Mischa more closely than she watched the fight. Her friend had always been a pretty girl, but she began to realize that Mischa was no longer a pretty girl but becoming a beautiful young woman. Nikeisha also realized that she wasn't the only one to see it. Connor and Landon were only a little bit older than Mischa, just became men, and she obviously had their attention.

"What's that ringing sound coming from Xanos' axe?" Ashuador said softly, his voice intruded upon her musing.

"Oh," Nikeisha said with a giggle, "well, we kind of add enhancements to our weapons." Then she proceeded in telling him the full story. "It just seems so appropriate that Xanos should cast a sonic spell," she declared, still giggling, as she concluded her tale, "after all, if Xanos could get an enemy to listen to him for a few moments, he would kill them with the sound of his own voice."

"With talk about the 'Great Xanos'." Mischa added, laughing. Ashuador joint in with the mirth too, as did Dorna.

"Xanos heard that." Xanos said, allowing himself to be distracted by their playful banter. It was a costly mistake for Connor made another swing, Xanos was able to just catch it, he was skilled, there was no doubt, but even his skill wasn't enough. The strike did not slide harmlessly off as it should have, instead the hit was diverted upwards, towards Xanos forehead.

"Xanos!" Mischa cried out with guilt, as bright red blood spurted from the cut upon Xanos brow.

It was Ashuador who acted first, going over to Xanos. "Just a nick." He commented as he cast a minor healing spell on Xanos, Mischa looked at Ashuador gratefully with the adore returning. Nikeisha sighed as she also went over to Xanos and handed him a piece of cloth to wipe the blood off his face with, once he was clean she examine his wound. Ashuador's spell had healed it, but there was a scar.

"Did you see that move?" Connor boasted somewhere behind Nikeisha. "Maybe I should be at Drogan's school instead of this half breed." She became livid with that comment. Nikeisha had heard those racist remarks about half breeds so many times, not about Xanos, but towards herself. She was feeling belligerent and was about to do something but Mischa beat her to it.

"You idiots!" she seethed at them, "You could have killed him! Here you are boasting that you hit him! And you think you have what it takes to be in Master Drogan's school." And with that, she walked back to the school.

Conner watched Mischa walk away, his face clearly showing that he was regretting something, although Nikeisha was sure that it was only the fact that he hadn't won Mischa over with his antics.

She looked at the boys with disgust; Connor's comment had hit a sore spot. Although they were far more accepting of her than Xanos, they were nonetheless racist to her, as well as Dorna and Master Drogan, only seeming to accept Mischa fully. It was as if they didn't consider other race were equal to them. She had encountered this from a man in the village she had grown up in, which was one reason she had spent so much time in the forest. With her antipathy for these small minded villagers, and her memories haunting her, she too went back to the house, followed closely by the others.

They spent the remaining part of the day in the house, although Master Drogan was aware of what had happen, he chose not to say anything about it. Xanos spent the afternoon working on his usual stuff, becoming more powerful and a plan of how to become a ruler. While Mischa was content on trying to make Dorna over for the evening dance, something that Dorna keep trying to protest against, but her objections fell on deaf ears. Nikeisha spent her day with her 'brother' playing a monotonous game of checkers.

Nikeisha wasn't sure why Mischa was still persisting on going to the dance, sometimes she was real social butterfly, but, because of her fuss, Master Drogan had insisted that they all go. The truth was that she, herself, was looking forward to going. She enjoyed dressing 'nice' and teasing the boys when they all knew that she was off limits to them.

When Nikeisha had first visited the village, after becoming Master Drogan's apprentice, the boys openly ogled her and one furthermore made the blatant comment that because she was there to become an adventurer she was willing, even wanting, adventures between the bed sheets. She strongly retaliated against that, letting it be known that they could be the last male in Faerun, in fact the last male on the face of Toril, and she still wouldn't want them.

"I am not wearing a dress!" Dorna announced firmly as she came down into the common room, where Nikeisha and Ashuador was, with Mischa trailing along behind her, a dress in hand.

"But Dorna," she pleaded, "it's a dance, we must wear dresses."

"Whose stupid rule is that! Besides I don't own a dress."

"You can wear one of mine." Mischa reasoned with her.

"Your dresses would never fit me." Dorna retorted.

"Well, I guess we will have to buy one." She said, leading the reluctant dwarf out into the village.

After they had left, Nikeisha decided to make a move and ask Ashuador a question that she had been wondering about all day. "Ash?" Nikeisha said, inquiring, "What's a Harper?"

He looked at her sharply, "Why do you ask?"

"I heard you talking to Master Drogan last night."

"I should have known you would hear us." He sighed, "Well, Harpers are members of a secret society dedicated to keeping an eye on evil."

"That's a little succinct. So what was the letter?"

"I don't know, I don't read other peoples' mail." Nikeisha looked at him unconvinced. "Look," he said seriously, something she rarely sees from him, "this Harper heard that I was going to Drogan's and asked if I could give him a message." She knew he wasn't telling her everything, but she knew Ashuador well enough to know that was all he was going to tell her, so she let it drop.

Mischa and Dorna returned some time later, and Mischa was clearly disappointed, while Dorna wear a smug look on her face. Slung neatly across one of Mischa's arms was rusty coloured top and pants.

"Are you aware that the dwarven physique is totally unsuitable for a dress?" Mischa demanded of Nikeisha and Ashuador, as they packed up their game. They both laughed. "It isn't funny," she pouted, "I wanted us all to wear dresses."

"Oh, don't worry Mischa," Ashuador said, coming over and putting an arm around her shoulders, "if it will make you happy, I'll wear a dress for you." He teased.

"That's not funny!" she replied, squirming out from under his arm, but despite herself, she laughed.

"Alright, seriously,-"

"Shock, horror, he's going to be serious." Nikeisha mocked.

Ashuador stuck he tongue out at her, and continued. "Does it really bother you if Dorna doesn't wear a dress? She will be the only one who isn't."

"Nikki you will wear a dress, wont you?" Mischa appealed to her.

"Trust me," Ash assured her, "she'll wear a dress. She loves wearing dresses, she pretends that she doesn't, but she really does."

"Of course I'll wear one." Nikeisha said, ignoring Ash.

Mischa almost squeal with delight "We better go and get ready" she announced leading the girls up stairs.

Once in her room, Nikeisha looked at the two dresses she had hung out in order to get the wrinkles out of them. The first dress had a straight, light purple skirt, with a darker purple overskirt. The overskirt covered nearly the whole skirt and had a long split down the front to reveal the lighter colour. The top had bell sleeves that came to her elbows, and the front neckline followed her collarbone while at the back it showed down to under her shoulder blades. The top was the same purple as the overskirt, along the neckline, and at the bottom of the overskirt, it had embroidered flowers.

It was a beautiful dress, certain to gain the attention of the boys, but still was modest and of an adolescent style. The other dress was far more daring.

The skirt was pink with the overskirt of a lighter colour and lacy, it came long in the back, almost to the ankles, but the cut of the overskirt was such that it was only to just below the knees at the front. It wasn't a simple split in the front either, but a distinct wedge cut beginning just below the pelvis and showing most the front of the underskirt. But this wasn't the daring part, only a more adult style.

The top was of a corset type and the same pink as the overskirt, and was sleeveless, and the back as low as the first one. The front was cut lower, to reveal cleavage, and dipped in the center, as if to add definition to the shape of ones chest. It was bold, especially for this small village community, and required a lot of confidence, something that Nikeisha wasn't sure she had, as if one was too conscious of what it is showing it isn't as appealing, but it was the one she wanted to wear, so she tried it on.

It wasn't overtly obvious, but it seemed that Master Drogan was preparing for her final test; if this was true, she wanted to show these simple-minded villages that she wasn't this timid little girl, but a confident and courageous young woman and wearing this dress would show it. It was petty to be sure, to want to show up these people, but it was part of her playful nature and her stubbornness.

Just as she finished putting it on Mischa burst into her room. "Can you help me?" she said turning around and holding her hair up so that Nikeisha could do up her buttons. When she was finished, Mischa turned back around noticing, for the first time, what Nikeisha was wearing. "Oh, my," she said stunned, "is that what you are wearing?"

Nikeisha's cheeks rosy up, as she thought Mischa didn't approve. "No, I think I'll wear that one." She pointed at the other dress still hanging up; Mischa took a quick glance at it and dismissed it straight out of hand.

"No, you should wear this one; you look stunning, so grown up." She affirmed, and then she looked at her with envy. "I wish I had a body like yours to be able to wear a dress like that." She said momentary looking down at her narrow hips and small breast, and then back at Nikeisha's wider hips and generous bust. "How are you wearing your hair?" she asked suddenly.

"I'm not sure."

"I have an idea." And she rushed off to her room, returning moments later with brushes and hair accessories.

It took the better part of the hour for the two girls to do each other's hair. Nikeisha braided Mischa leave half of it flowing down the back of her neck, while Mischa had amassed Nikeisha's hair atop of her head in a beautiful style with a thin lock of hair cascading down the each side of her face. Once they had finished, Nikeisha put on her long formal gloves and draped her formal scarf around her shoulders and across her chest, covering up what the top revealed, while Mischa when and got her own accessories.

Nikeisha was the first to come down stairs to the common room, where the males had been waiting impatiently. Dorna was also down there waiting. When Ashuador saw her descending the stairs, he went over to wait for at the bottom, with a look of awe upon his face.

"You look beautiful." He marveled as she reached the floor. He wore a powder blue short sleeve top with collar and pant and boots of the same hue. Xanos, who wore a similar outfit of a darker blue and without a collar, sat in his favorite chair by the fireplace.

"It's about time." He said, and then sniffed contemptuously. "She doesn't look as regal as Xanos, but then who could."

"Never mind him, my girl," Drogan said, also coming over along with Dorna, "You look just lovely." He wore an outfit of earthy tones that show no skin apart from that on his face. Dorna wore the orange top and pants that Mischa was holding earlier. When Nikeisha had first seen the colour she wasn't so sure of it, but it looked gorgeous on Dorna, contrasting well with her auburn hair. The top was loose fitting, as was the pants, with gold trimming on the neck and on the bell sleeves.

Then Mischa came down the stairs, her walk every bit as graceful as an elf. Her dress was of palest blue with the skirt similar to Nikeisha, although the overskirt was longer, and the top coming right up, in front and back, to gather at the neck, leaving her arms and shoulders bare, but she wore a scarf and long gloves like Nikeisha.

"My girl, you look lovely as well," Drogan said, almost beaming like a father, "you all look just divine."

"Are you sure Master Drogan?" Mischa asked somewhat nervous.

"You look just fine my girl." He replied smiling. It was then that Nikeisha scarf slipped lower down her back, revealing the daringness of her dress. Ashuador stared at her, but not in awe this time.

"You are not wearing that!" He told her all fatherly. Nikeisha hadn't anticipated Ashuador reaction.

"You're not my father." She declared stubbornly.

"You are not wearing it." He repeated. "You'll have all the boys drooling over you."

"Let them drool, they all know they can't have me." She said, not understanding why Ash was acting this way.

"You're a tease, Nikeisha."

"So what if I am." She challenged him. Then she realized that he was still playing the big brother and was trying to protect her, but she was old enough to do her own thing.

"Ashuador, she isn't a little girl." Drogan told the fuming younger man; obvious he realized the same thing as Nikeisha. "If she wants to wear the dress, it's her choice. She's not going to get into any trouble; she is old enough, and skilled enough, to handle herself." Ashuador just shook his head and walked over to the door to leave.

By the time they reached the community hall Ashuador had regained his composure and Nikeisha entered on his arm, while Drogan offered his to Dorna and poor Mischa was stuck with being escorted in by Xanos. The room was decorated with ever-green foliage, which only enhanced the starkness of the place.

As they entered the room, everyone turned to look at them. Nikeisha noticed that she had the attention of all the males in the room, Ashuador also noticed and gave them all a belligerent look, which spoke plainly of violence to anyone who feels that they need to do more than look. But she wasn't the only one with their attention; the younger ones were watching Mischa as well.

It was only a matter of moments before Mischa was invited by one of the boys onto the area that had been set aside as the dance floor, another boy had headed towards Nikeisha but took one apprehensive glance at Ashuador's aggressive looking face and asked a local girl instead.

"For that you have to dance with me." Nikeisha declared.

"What?" he inquired innocently.

"You know very well what." He sighed and did as she asked, he thought twice next time a boy wanted to ask her to dance.

After a few hours of dancing, Nikeisha and Mischa sat down on the benches that had been set up on the side of the dance floor. As they watched the dancing, a bubbly young Nora Blake came over to them. She had her brown hair down and wore an emerald dress, and her brown eyes sparkled, she was positively glowing.

"Have you seen Adam?" she asked, referring to her handsome young husband.

"No, we haven't seen him all day." Nikeisha replied.

"Did he tell you the good news?" she rushed on, evidently not aware of what was said. "I'm pregnant! I'm going to have a baby!" She announced happily.

"That's so wonderful." Mischa congratulated her. Just then Ashuador came over to them with some food, she took one look at the food, and her face went a faint greenish colour.

"Ah, you will excuse me?" she asked, and left without waiting for a replied.

"What was that about?" Ashuador asked sitting down between the girls and eating his food.

"Nora is pregnant." Nikeisha told him in a dreamy voice, as if that was to explain it. "Isn't it just wonderful?"

"I don't know why women think it's so wonderful." He answered. "After all, you have all that morning sickness, and then you go through all that pain having the baby. And then there's the raising of the child."

"Oh, you will never understand," she snapped, shaking off her wistfulness, "At least not until you marry and your wife fall pregnant."

Ashuador laughed. "Be serious, elle seler', can you see me being a good husband or father? I'll just do the best thing I can do and never settle down." Mischa eyes widen slightly as the words hit her but she didn't say anything.

"I suppose you are right. At least until you grow-up or find the right woman."

He laughed again, "Nikki, I know you want to get married and have children, but I don't believe that the life for me." He told her gently. "It's probably better that way." He finished his food and got up. "That pretty young thing looks lonely. I think I'll ask her to dance." He proclaimed, then went over to one of the local girls and accompanied her to the dance floor.

"I guess knowing that Ashuador doesn't want to get married and have children, while you do, doesn't hold much hope of your relationship being long term." Mischa said, clearly still remembering their conversation from the morning. Nikeisha was startled that she still thought that there was something between them.

"Mischa," she began carefully, "there's nothing amorous between him and me."

"So you wouldn't mind if I was to pursue him?"

"I have no romantic interest in him, so I don't mind, but I know him well, you are like a sister to me and I don't want to see you get your heart broken. Besides do you really want him after what he just said?"

Mischa looked over to where Ashuador was dancing real close with the local girl and sighed, "I guess not." She agreed sadly, seeming like Nikeisha's warning was too late. Nikeisha hug the younger girl trying to ease her through the pain.

"Come on, let's see if we can get some guys to ask us to dance." She said, trying to cheer Mischa up, leading her over to a group of boys that were standing on the side.

The rest of the evening went without incident, except when one of the boys Nikeisha was dancing with grabbed her on the bottom. Ashuador saw it happen, and with a look of fury headed towards the boy in questioned, but before he finished taking one step, Nikeisha had already dealt with him. She stopped dancing with him and slapped him. It looked like the simple slap that any woman would give, but Nikeisha was a trained adventurer, the sound of the slap and the welt that it left told everyone that it was no simple slap.

The sun hadn't even risen when Nikeisha and Master Drogan saw Ashuador off the following morning. The others hadn't awakened yet, so the three spoke quietly at the front door.

"So my boy, where are you heading to now?" Drogan asked.

"There's a plague in Neverwinter. They feel that it's off unnatural origins and have opened the Academy to anyone with potential. Aribeth de Tylmarande has personally sent me a letter to join the Academy."

"That's good." Nikeisha said, not exactly feeling that though. She was worried about him. She knew he had been involved in dangerous before, but a plague was something else.

"Although I hear she has invited some others that was trained here, so not all that impressive."

"Oh?" Drogan said, obviously a little startled that his students and his school had some prestige.

"I'm sure Aribeth, a great paladin that she is, has a better chance at finding a cure then I, but I can at least help."

Drogan nodded, and then smiled at him. "You are a good boy."

"Not too much of a disappointment then?"

He smiled again. "No, you're not."

"I best be off." Ashuador announced somewhat reluctantly. He turned to Nikeisha. "You aren't going to have a tantrum like last time." Ashuador teased. Nikeisha merely stuck her tongue out at him, and then she hugged him tightly. "You have grown up so very much." He told her, his voice thick with emotion also holding her tight. He finally let her go and clasped Drogan's hand. With one final look at Nikeisha, he turned and walked down Hilltop's single road.

Uncertain when she would see him again, if she would see him again, Nikeisha watched as he disappeared in the steeling light of pre-dawn and out of her life once more.


	5. Thievery and Sorcery

It was after noon on a cold early winter day. The day was crisp and smelt of the new snow, which had fallen that night before. Nikeisha had decided that it was too cold to get out of bed and had remained there studying.

Neither Master Drogan, nor Nikeisha, mention anything to the other about the crisis that had arisen in Neverwinter, but it wasn't long before even the remote region of the Silver Marshes buzz with the talk of what was transpiring there.

Despite the fact that it was the talk of the village, the information received was often inaccurate and usually well out of date. Like when the village had first heard about the plague, a traveler from the southwest region was passing through the village and he overheard Molly-lee Thomas telling one of the other women about the plague. "My dear lady." he told Molly-lee, "they were handing out the cure to that plague when I passed through the city a month ago."

All of Master Drogan's students trained very hard in the hopes that they could prove to him that they were capable of being an adventurer. In truth, they all wanted to join in with what was happening in Neverwinter, as it was most likely the most major event to happen in their life time and they all wanted to be a part of it, whether it was for the fame, wealth, or just to help the people.

Nikeisha had another reason to want to go there. She worried so much about Ashuador, but the reports they did receive featured his name quite prominently, evidently, he was doing more than just helping out there.

Her stomach growled, breaking her thoughts and pointedly telling her that she had forgotten yet another chore, to make lunch. It was the fifth chore she had forgotten this week alone, but the other students would be really complaining about her forgetting this one.

Nikeisha's final exam was fast approaching and she was scared that she wasn't ready for it, so she had been spending nearly all her time studying of late, and when she wasn't studying, she was training. Both Dorna and sweet Mischa understood when Nikeisha forgot a chore, and had at least helped, on most occasions, her do the chore she had forgotten. Such sympathy was naturally not in Xanos' nature; in fact, he took just about every chance he could to ridicule her about her missed chores.

She quickly dressed, hoping to be able to make a quick lunch for everyone, at least before Xanos notices that she forgot. Her clothing was new, an outfit she had just tailored for herself, and with Drogan's guidance enhanced it with certain defensive spells to protect her. The outfit was figure hugging.

It consisted of purple pants that had cross ties up the side of the leg, exposing the skin there. Grayish black over the pelvic area with jet black trimming and gold rivets. The top was purple too, a long sleeve tunic, knitted in a ribbed pattern that made it cling to her body, and a jet black vest was worn over the top.

She worn jet-black knee high boots with gold trimming. Black and gold trimmed pouches hung from her belt, and her dagger was sheath in a scabbard strapped to her right thigh.

Even before she had finished dressing, she could hear Xanos' voice just outside her door. She groaned as she realized that he would know that she hadn't prepared lunch.

"I've had enough of your jibes, Xanos." Nikeisha heard Mischa say to him as she open her door.

"Ah, it's Nikeisha," Xanos said triumphantly as he spotting Nikeisha, "decided not to let us stave, huh?"

"How did your exam go?" Nikeisha asked Mischa, ignoring Xanos. Xanos had an exulted look on his face, that plainly told Nikeisha that Mischa had failed, and he was about to say something but was silenced by Nikeisha cold look.

"Not good." Dorna, who was trailing silently behind Mischa, said, causing Mischa to jump.

"He asked me to save a goblin child!" Mischa exclaimed.

"What's wrong with that?" Nikeisha asked.

"It's evil. It's a goblin." Mischa griped

"It's a child."

"You're not a paladin, Nikki." Mischa told the red head in an insufferable tone. "I would not expect you to understand."

"Oh, and of course the child could not be raised differently?" The half-orc demanded.

"This is not about you, Xanos," she assured, "and besides, you have human blood within to redeem you from your orcish heritage."

"You humans are all the same. Sometimes I wonder just how redeeming my human blood really is. Pfah!" Nikeisha nodded her sentiments, she, herself, sometimes questioned her human side.

"You'll learn in time, Mischa." The half-elf told her gentle, putting her arm around the slender girl's shoulders. "Don't worry about it." She was sure that the lesson was to accept everyone for who they are not what they are; it was a lesson that Drogan had to re-teach her when she had first arrived.

"So how do you think you will go on your final test, Nikki?" Dorna asked, smoothly changed the subject before Xanos could make another retort that was hovering on his lips.

"I'm not sure." Nikeisha answered truthfully.

"I cannot wait until Master Drogan gives me my final test." Mischa said dreamily. "I wish I was in your shoes, Nikki."

"For once I agree with the little girl." Xanos conceded. "I came to Drogan to learn how to be an adventurer, I wish to adventure!"

"True." Dorna agreed. "I wish something exciting would happen here in Hilltop."

Before Nikeisha could voice her opinion there was a sound of crushing and fighting coming from below them, sound they previously did not hear in amongst their arguing. Nikeisha reacted quickly, using her ring to teleport to Drogan, whom was down stairs. The others followed suit.

The scene, as Drogan's ring drew her down stairs, was one of utter chaos. Reptilian kobolds, small lizard like humanoids standing about waist high, were in the common room, and Master Drogan stood in the center, casting spells to hold them back as they tried to attack him. One kobold was sneaking up behind Master Drogan, his bright yellow beady eyes intense; in its hand was a dagger from which a vivid green fluid dripped.

As Nikeisha began casting her spell of Meteor Swarm, the kobold thrust its dagger at Drogan's unguarded back, piercing his protective shield, wounding him and then Master Drogan collapsed. It was then an elven woman entered the turmoil, while the others were teleported into the room. It seemed to Nikeisha that it took forever for them to arrive but they were only a second or two behind her.

"Run while you can!" the stranger commanded of the kobolds, as Nikeisha released her spell, killing some of the already weaken kobolds and seriously injuring others. But many escaped as the other students and the elf moved in to kill those that persisted on fighting.

"Master Drogan!" Nikeisha cried out, as she rushed over to kneel at his side after all the kobolds either had fled or lay dead on the floor. He lay unconscious on the floor, barely stirring as she approached him. He was sweating profusely and then stirred agitatedly as if caught in the grips of a bad dream. The stranger knelt and the other side of his body, while the other looked on, too stunned to move.

"Can you help me turn him over, so I can look at his wound?" the elf asked. Nikeisha nodded and reached across Drogan's, pulling him toward her, even as the elf pushed him over. As she held his side, pulling him, Nikeisha could feel his warm, sticky blood penetrating his clothes. The elf lifted up Drogan's shirt and gravely examined the gash.

"Poison!" the stranger exclaimed, Nikeisha could feel her own face pale and was sure the other did too. "Don't worry dear; I should be able to counter it." Her hands and Master Drogan's wound glowed briefly. "It resists. Some kind of alter snake venom." The elf muttered softly to herself in the elven tongue. "I can stabilize him and if I get a few things I can make a cure that should work."

"What do you need?" Nikeisha, also speaking softly in elven, asked.

The elf smiled slightly, obviously pleased that Nikeisha knew the language. "Tressym tongue, charcoal, and helmthorn berries. The herbalist should have them." Even as she spoke, her hands and the wound glowed again, but a different kind of glow from before, this time the wound slowly knitted itself back together.

"I find it a little suspicious that a 'helpful' stranger would show up just as we are attacked by these little cretins." Xanos' declared, indicating to the dead kobolds, even as Nikeisha and the elf turned Drogan back over.

"Xanos!" Mischa exclaimed. "She helps us without asking anything in return. Would you repay her with suspicion?"

"Despite what you think Mischa," Dorna said, siding with Xanos for a change, "but I'd like an answer too."

"As I would, if were I in your shoes," the woman said understandingly, "I'm Ayala Windspear. I was following these kobolds tracks for almost two days. It's odd for them to leave their caves in the Nether Mountains. When I realized they were heading for hilltop I knew that were up to no good. I came as quickly as I could, but…" her voice trailed off as she looked at Drogan.

"Why were you following these kobolds to begin with?" Nikeisha asked curiously.

"It's my responsibility." She replied simply.

"You think that you're self so good that you need to poke your nose in other peoples' business?" Xanos demanded arrogantly.

"I'm a Harper. As is Drogan." She gazed about at their faces, noting the look of incomprehension. "You do know what a Harper is?"

"Secret society that fights evil" Nikeisha answered promptly, remembering what Ashuador had told her the previous spring. The fact that Master Drogan was a Harper, as she had suspected, did raise the possibility that maybe Ashuador was too, that thought bothered Nikeisha. _Had they grown so far about that now her best friend was keeping secrets from her?_

Ayala nodded, "I just wish I knew what they were after," she sighed.

"I… believe… I can shed some light on that…" Master Drogan said in pain, as he regained consciousness.

"Drogan!" Ayala exclaimed relieved.

"It was… the artifacts."

"What artifacts?" Nikeisha asked.

"The Harpers entrusted four dangerous artifacts Drogan's care when he had retired. We thought they would be safe."

"Not too safe here then, were they?" Xanos stated, looking around meaningfully. They all ignored him.

"Nikeisha…" Drogan said clutching her hand, "You need… to find them… this will be… you're final test…" Nikeisha nodded her acceptance. "Perhaps more dangerous… then… I intended, but… you can handle… it. You have been… one of… my best." Then he passed out, as if he had used all his strength to give Nikeisha her instructions. She felt a wild surge of excitement as she realized that she would be going on an adventure.

Ayala looked gravely at Nikeisha. "I know Drogan has made this your final test," she began slowly, "but I think it would be best if you took one of those two with you." The brown haired elf continued, pointing at Xanos and Dorna.

With Ayala's word, the excitement that had been building evaporated. Evidently, Ayala felt that there greater danger in this then she showed, and Nikeisha began to feel some faint twinges of apprehension. "First I would ask for you to get them herbs I said I needed" Nikeisha nodded, not knowing what to say, and walked over to where Xanos and Dorna stood, while Ayala beckoned to Mischa, giving her instruction to help make Master Drogan comfortable.

Xanos had a slight smirk on his face as Nikeisha approached, as if he was assuming that she would be choosing him to go with her. "Dorna," Nikeisha commanded, "I want you to come with me" the dwarf nodded in reply. Xanos had a look on outrage upon his face as he realized that he wasn't chosen. "I need you to stay here." She told Xanos even as she placed her hand on his arm to still his outrage.

"Why?"

"You're right," she began, "for once," she added for a little tease, "We know nothing about this woman. I want you to guard Drogan and Mischa." Nikeisha tone was able to make Xanos believe that this task was very important as he made no objections, and began his guarding straight away.

Nikeisha motion to Dorna to follow her, she went over to the coat hook by the door and put on her cloak that had been hanging on it. They were about to leave when Mischa came up to them.

"Oh Nikeisha!" Mischa, her voice tinged with worry, said. "Do you think Master Drogan will be all right?

"Ayala says he just needs some herbs and he'll recover." The sorceress said soothing her.

She nodded, seeming somewhat relieved "I wish I could help" she said, obviously feeling left out. "I feel so useless!"

"That is because you _are_ useless, my little strumpet!" Xanos laughed at her.

"Oh, shut up, Xanos!" She fumed.

"My my! The little girl shows heat! Perhaps you should take her along after all, eh, Nikeisha?" He said still laughing.

"Leave her alone, Xanos." Nikeisha snapped at him.

"Bah! Your problem is that you are too generous with lesser, Nikeisha. And that shall be your undoing."

"We could speak about your problem, Xanos, but Nikeisha doesn't have all day." Mischa told him sweetly.

"Now why didn't I say that?" Dorna said, almost congratulating the young blonde headed girl.

Mischa's smile was like the sun coming up, but then it quickly disappeared. She looked around the room, clicking her tongue in dismay. Nikeisha also looked. The room had broken piece of furnishings, as well as blood and worst. Mischa sighed.

"I better start cleaning up." She said and went to fetch cleaning tools.

Nikeisha took a quick look around before leaving. Ayala was placing a blanket over Drogan and had a pillow under his head, an item Mischa had retrieved from one of the arm chairs. Mischa was returning with some cleaning items and as she passed Xanos she place a broom in his hands. Xanos was too busy watching Ayala like a hawk to notice the broom, and, automatically, he began to sweep the floor.

Satisfied that all was in good care and under control, Nikeisha, along with Dorna, left for the village, and what awaited them there.


	6. Curing a Dwarf

The snow rested across the landscape like a thick, crisp, white blanket. Tracks crisscrossed the region, most of which were from the kobolds.

Just passed Master Drogan's dooryard several straggling kobolds were harassing one of the local dogs. Nikeisha slowly unsheathed her dagger to avoid attracting attention, and then rushed at them, cut two down while Dorna killed the third. The kobolds didn't even scratch them. Such an easy victory lolled Nikeisha into the sense that this would be easy.

She gently patted the dog, checking its wounds as she done so, while she used her animal empathy to ask the dog a few questions. The dog didn't give any useful information, but did tell her to see the she-wolf, Bethsheva, the companion of the local herbalist.

As the dog trotted off, she noticed some kobolds tracks in the snow heading into the barn, but not back out. As Nikeisha approached the wide double doors, she could hear the wild billow of the cows that were housed in there, as well as the skittish movements of the kobolds within.

Nikeisha slowly parted open one of the doors and squeezed through, with Dorna close behind. The first thing she saw when she entered was one of the cows, gutted at the back of the barn and behind it was a kobold, and then she heard a sound up in the loft. She looked around and found the little creature near the ramp. She indicated to Dorna to take the one by the cow why she use a spell to deal with the other.

Again, the fight was quick and easy, and Nikeisha began to feel overconfident. Dorna was not nearly as confident as they walked towards the gate to the village. The looked was troubled.

"What's wrong?" Nikeisha asked, noticing her look.

"All I can think about is Master Drogan… laying there"

"He'll be fine." Nikeisha assured the little dwarf.

"It's just Master Drogan has always been a good teacher. I owe it to him to try my best to help him."

"We will." Nikeisha assured, smiling gently, but deep inside her, she had doubts. Ayala's insistence that they get the ingredients for the cure first made Nikeisha uneasy, made her think that Drogan was more critical then she was saying, but, no matter, Nikeisha vowed to herself that she would do all she can to save him; after all, he saved her.

The scene that greeted them as they entered the village was brutal. The bodies of dead kobolds were everywhere, and here and there were evidence that a villager had fallen. Many buildings in this upper end of the village were in ruin, but the lower end buildings were more or less intact.

Nikeisha stood staring at one of the fallen villager, memories playing through her mind. She could still see her mother falling down before her with her body smeared all over with blood. Nikeisha's eyes stung and she was unaware of the tear cascading down her cheek.

Nikeisha did not know how long she stood, transfixed, in that spot before she felt Dorna gently touch her arm. "Are you ok?" She asked concern.

"Yeah, just fine." Nikeisha brushed it off as she headed to the main part of town.

"It must have been a big fight. Nothing they could do but pick up a shovel and hope for the best. People still died." Dorna said.

"There might be a few kobolds still around." Nikeisha suggested. "Maybe we can help clear them out." What Nikeisha really wanted was revenge, but life had already taught her that it was bitter sweet; it wasn't a path she intended to follow again.

"Good idea." Dorna agreed. "With this many this many attacking there'd have to be some hiding somewhere."

What few guard that weren't seriously injured patrolled the village, but there wasn't too many about. One of the guards, having seen the girls, approached them. With his helmet on, it was impossible for Nikeisha to see who was approaching, but as he got closer, he removed his helmet and she immediately noticed the beautiful flaxen hair of Conner.

"Thankfully you are ok." He said relieved. "What about Mischa and the others? Where are they? Is she, err, them alright?"

"Mischa's just fine," Dorna said, with a knowing smirk, they all knew that something was going on between her and this young man, "she is looking after Master Drogan."

"Drogan!" Conner exclaimed stunned.

"He'll be ok." Nikeisha told him.

Conner nodded. "I better get back to work, or the mayor will have me flayed, which is to say his assistant, Haniah will."

"What's wrong with Veraunt? Why is she in change?" Nikeisha asked.

"Veraunt is a little, ah…" he looked around, then leaned in close to the girls, "drunk." He told them in a hushed voice. "Landon and I found him in his basement, with two empty wine bottles beside him."

"Well isn't that grand." Dorna noted cynically. "Soused-up on ale while the town falls around him."

"Haniah Dales keeps passing it off as 'the stress from the attack'" The side door to the hall opened and Conner jumped. "I really better be going." He said and almost ran back to his post. Nikeisha was too concern about Drogan to worry about the mayor's intoxication. She headed into the main part of the village and straight to the herb shop of Farghan.

The shop, which was also Farghan living quarters, was in what could only be called a hut, mainly because the mayor had not issued a permanent permit for the shop, although Farghan seem quite content with living in the half canvas hut.

"Nikeisha." The herbalist greeted her as she entered. "Is their something you need?" he asked noticing her serious expression.

"Do you have any tressym tongue, charcoal, and helmthorn berries?" Nikeisha asked the brown haired man, recalling the items that were requested.

He tugged thoughtfully at his mustache. "I have some tressym tongue and charcoal, but you have to ask Mara over in the Bubbling Cauldron for helmberries. She took the last lot I had." He told the girls.

As Farghan went over to his back wall for the ingredients, his white she-wolf, Bethsheva, came over to Nikeisha. She gently patted the wolf, taken as much enjoyment from the relaxation of this action as the snow wolf did, even as they communicated. The wolf informed Nikeisha that the kobolds had left through the main gate into the farmlands, but beyond that, she did not know as Farghan had brought her inside.

Farghan came back, holding the ingredients out to Nikeisha and smiling. "I'm going to lose my companion at this rate." He teased. "She is very fond of you."

Nikeisha smiled back as she took the items, placing them in one of the pouches on her belt and handing him some money, but he shook his head refusing the coins. "Thank you." She said gratefully, then they heading back out and over to the Bubbling Cauldron, the local tavern.

As they headed to the Bubbling Cauldron, they noticed a crowd of people gathered around the main gate. Nikeisha pay a passing glance at the gathering, thinking that they were just discussing their vengeance.

"That's just what we need." Dorna said in disgust, pointing near the center of the group. Piper stood, in all his glory, rallying the villagers with his so-called prophecies.

Piper was probably the oldest in the village, save Drogan. He head was bald and he always seemed nervous. All his life he had made claims of being a prophet but he was yet to get any of his prophecies right. A few times he had made some weird claims, like he once said that someone was going to be killed by a giant, but instead that person got into a fight with a man that was over six feet tall.

Nikeisha faintly remembered the prediction Piper had made last week; that death would be brought to the village within the week by little messengers. She was sure that it was consequence, but she knew that the people now believed him; something he had predicted had finally came true, and Piper was certainly twisting things about so it seemed that he had foretold it. Nikeisha groaned in disbelief at the gullibility of the people as she entered the tavern.

The scene in the Bubbling Cauldron was nearly as bad as in Drogan's home. A mob of village males stood near the kitchen door shouting threats and profanities and a gentle old man sat in the opposite corner, watching those by the kitchen incuriously, but he looked sharply over at the girls as they entered.

"Best be careful, there, youngsters." He warned. "As ye can see, the tavern's had a bit of a problem with kobolds"

"Thanks for the warning." Nikeisha said and walked over to Lodar, the tavern keeper.

The handsome, blonde haired Lodar stood with the crowd near the kitchen, looking in disgust at his demolished tavern, he must definitely was not his usual cheerful self. "Oh, Nikeisha, Dorna, thank gods you are here." He greeted them. "Maybe you can help me with these kobolds; they have blockaded themselves in the kitchen and have Mara in there with them."

"I'll see what I can do." She said in dismay; this wasn't going to be as easy as she had thought. She walked towards the kitchen unthreatening and slowly.

"Yip!" One kobold, obviously the leaded, said, seeing her approach. "Who you be?"

"You let us go!" another kobold shouted. "Yip! Or we kills cook-woman!"

"You hears that? You lets us go! We no fight, we takes cook-woman with us! We smarts, you no trick us."

Nikeisha pitied these confuse little reptiles; they were here, scared and alone. She quickly but carefully considered the situation, the main problem was that the kobolds had Mara. Then a sudden idea came to her, it was wild, but Nikeisha did it.

"Take me as a hostage, instead, and let the woman go." She convinced them.

The kobolds talked amongst themselves for a while before finally agreeing, but only if she came alone.

"It will be alright, Nikki." Dorna whispered encouragingly. "I'll wait here and watch for your lead."

"Alright, I will come alone." She told the kobolds, as she went into the kitchen. She was worried right at first, not for her own safety, but because the kobolds insisted that she be inside with them before Mara was release.

"Okays. Now you be our hostage." The leader said after they kept their word and let the cook go. The kobolds looked at Nikeisha, not knowing what to do with her.

"Look, you can leave now." She told them kindly. "Just go and nobody will hurt you."

Initially, the kobolds wanted to take Nikeisha with them, but decided that she might be too power and just left instead. While they were leaving, Nikeisha stood at the kitchen door glared belligerently at the mob, making sure that they didn't break her word.

Lodar and the pretty, blonde Mara were waiting for Nikeisha as she came over to where they stood. The young Mara appeared to be a little shaken, but otherwise was fine. Lodar was holding some gold coins in his hand for Nikeisha's reward, but she only shook her head when he tried to give them to her.

"Actually, all I want are some helmthorn berries, if you still have any." Nikeisha told the pair.

"I still have some in the kitchen," Mara announced. "I'll go get them for you, it's the least I can do for saving me." She returned moments later with the berries, which Nikeisha tucked away in her pouch with the rest of the components.

"You're a kind woman, Nikki." Lodar said as a way of farewell. "Drogan would be proud of you, I'm sure."

With all the ingredients in hand, Nikeisha raced back to Master Drogan's home, her blood coloured hair flying from behind her. "Where are we going?" Dorna called to her as she trailed along, but Nikeisha wasted no time to answer.

"Nikeisha!" Mischa exclaimed as the front door burst open and she enter. The house was now reasonably tidy but Master Drogan still lay on the floor. Nikeisha eyebrow arched up questionably. "We thought it would be safer to leave Master Drogan where he is." Mischa answered the unspoken question.

She nodded and went to Ayala. "I have the herbs you asked for."

"Thank the gods!" Ayala said with relief. "Let me see what you have…" Nikeisha handed the items to her. "Good, good. I have everything I need for Drogan, now." She said and went off to the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with the potion. "Mischa help me give this to Drogan." Mischa walked obediently over to the elf and together they got Drogan to drink the cure. "There. That should do it. Hopefully we will see some kind of improvement soon."

They all stood there watching Drogan for any signs of improvement, and then he stirred slightly and moaned, his eyes opened briefly but didn't seem to focus on anything. Ayala sighed with relief, "I think he will be all right." Nikeisha nodded, reassured, she felt as if a vast weight had been lifted off her shoulders; Master Drogan was going to be fine.

For a few moments longer, they all continued to watch Drogan but he didn't move again, even as dark storm clouds rolled in, darken the sky outside. Inside the cheerfully warm fire, glowing in the heath, gave out a golden light.

"I think it's safe and probably best if we move him to his bed now." Ayala finally announced. Dorna and Xanos gently picked up their teacher's unconscious form and followed Ayala upstairs as she led the way. Nikeisha, with Mischa by her side, trailed after the others.

As they walked up the stairs, Mischa produced a small gold key from her clothing. "Where did you get that?" Nikeisha asked, recognizing the key for Drogan's bedroom.

"Drogan's faerie dragon, Riisi, gave it to us. The artifacts were kept in Master Drogan's lab."

"How did the kobolds get past the shields Drogan has up?" Nikeisha inquired, knowing that not even Dorna had managed to get into Drogan's lab.

"Riisi told us that the kobolds used some sort of magical dirt to past them. Ayala thinks that the kobolds were working for someone else." Mischa sighed. "Poor misguided creatures." She said softly her girlish voice full or sympathy, Nikeisha turned away, concealing a smile from the blonde paladin, the young girl probably hadn't realized it, but she had just learnt the lesson that Drogan had tried to teach her earlier that day. "Oh," Mischa added, "Riisi was in such a state that we decided to have your faerie dragon, Ce'Fiera, keep her company in the lab. They always get on so well. Was that alright with you?"

"That's fine Mischa." Mischa beamed at the blood red haired woman, then rushed ahead to open the door.

Nikeisha stood at the door, waiting. The room was crowded and she wanted to be off, though she didn't want to deprive Dorna of spending some time with Drogan. There was just so much that she had to do. First, she wanted to check in on the Community Hall and then deal with Piper, and then there were the four objects that had to be retrieved. There was the… Nikeisha stopped in mid thought. She had no idea what the four objects were.

She looked into Drogan's room and saw Ayala watching at her. The tawny haired woman walked over to Nikeisha. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Don't you want to see your teacher?"

"It's just a little crowded in there; Master Drogan needs to breathe to get better."

The elf smiled, and laughed lightly at Nikeisha's playful banter. "You have a point though; I won't let the all stay for long." Her liquid brown eyes, like that of a doe, gazed into Nikeisha's emerald eyes. "There's something else though, isn't there?"

"I just realized that, with all the worry over Master Drogan, I haven't found out what the artifacts that I am searching for are."

"No need to fret over that dear, I can tell you what they are, but I'm afraid I don't know much about them."

"That is alright, just tell me what you can."

Ayala smiled warmly. "Lets see. There was a mummified hand; the hand was all that was left when the powerful lich, named Belpheron, was destroyed. A mask that once belonged to a high priest of the Lord of Shadows. A tooth that was from the great wyrm Hephaestagon, a great dragon that also wield the most evil of the black arts." Ayala paused.

"And the last?"

"I doubt that it is of any importance, but it was a statue of a tower found in a desert tomb, one of our wizards claimed that he could detect a power within, but nothing was ever discovered about it."

Nikeisha nodded, committing the items to memory. She looked over to Dorna, whose attention was still firmly fixed on Drogan's almost lifeless body. "Come on Dorna, we need to find these artifacts." Dorna reluctantly left Drogan's side and followed Nikeisha downstairs, pausing only to get her axe from her room.

"Wait!" Mischa called as the two adventurers were about to leave for the outside. She ran past them, her blonde hair flying out behind her, over to a backpack standing in the corner. She heaved it on to a shoulder, grunting audibly, and totted over to the girls. "Ayala had me pack you a bag with a few medical supplies." Mischa informed them giving the bag to Dorna.

"A few!" Dorna exclaimed as she nearly dropped the pack from its load. "It weighs a ton! What's in here?"

"Well," Mischa started slowly, blushing slightly, "I wasn't sure what you would need, so I packed everything I thought of."

"Feels like you thought of everything, all right." Dorna grunted.

"You are disappointed in me." She moaned, her bottom lip trembling slightly.

"No Mischa, I'm not disappointed, just startled by the weight." The golden headed girl smiled brightly. Whilst this exchange was happening, Nikeisha had grabbed her backpack from the coat hanger.

"Why don't we split the bag's inventory up," Nikeisha suggested to Dorna, "so we share the load." She added, as to not hurt Mischa's feelings. They quickly pilled several healing kits and various healing potions into Nikeisha pack, and then headed off again.

Dorna chuckled lightly to herself as they walked back to the village. "So much like my little sister that one." Nikeisha heard her say to herself. The young half elf was sure that Dorna was speaking to herself, but she was so intrigued by what she had said that she started asking a question before she even considered that Dorna might not wish to answer.

"You never mention a sister before." Nikeisha noted.

Dorna looked over at her sharply, startled by her question. "I don't like to talk about her." she replied defensively. Nikeisha nodded understandably. They walk for a few more minute in silence, heading into the village and over towards the hall, until Dorna broke it. "Suffice to say, what happen to her was partly why I left my clan and came to Drogan's." She said with a note of finale to it. Although the look directed at Nikeisha didn't seem so final to her.

Nikeisha laid an affectionate hand on Dorna's shoulder, "if you ever want to talk," Dorna smiled, looking somewhat relieved at the offer.

Things in the hall as they entered were chaotic. Many of the villagers were in the hall, seeking refuge. Children ran around playing games, while the adults watched them attentively, fearful of another attack. Yet others laid on cots, still injured. The elderly Mayor Veraunt Shuttlescomb sat in his usually chair, making an incomprehensible speech in a slurred voice, that not one but his assistant, the beautiful honey brown haired Haniah Dales, listened to.

Nikeisha was startled on just how drunk the mayor was, although she hated to admitted, Haniah's announcement that his condition was from the attack was probably right, Veraunt was a fool, but never a drunken fool.

Nikeisha approached Haniah defensively. The woman had arrived a year or so ago and had never liked Nikeisha, she was always talked nicely to Nikeisha, but everyone knew that was a charade. Haniah dislike seemed to go deeper than the simple mindless racialism of the rest of the villagers, the fact that she had acted the same way to Ashuador the previous spring gave a strong hint where her dissatisfaction was.

"Thank the gods you are here, Nikeisha." Haniah said with a barely conceal sneer. "Hopefully you can take care of a little something for me."

"What is it?" Nikeisha asked, barely politely.

"Well, it's Piper. He has the people convince that this attack is what he prophesied last week."

"We saw him rallying the people outside." Dorna said.

"Would you talk to him." It wasn't actually a question.

"I'll see what I can do." Nikeisha made no promises and promptly left.

Piper was still ranting to the people when Nikeisha and Dorna joint the group. Some of the villagers were accepting his word to be that of a new god while others looked at him skeptically as always.

Nikeisha pushed her way through the crowd to stand in front of Piper. "I need to talk to you." She told him bluntly, cutting through his ravings.

"I saw you come from the hall. There's nothing your godless mayor or his devil woman assistant have to say to me."

_Well there's one thing we agree upon_, Nikeisha thought to herself, even as she smirked at his comment about Haniah. "Will you hear me out?"

"Go on then and make threats!"

"I think you have been confused by the kobold attack." She said, not knowing where to start.

"I have explained how the kobolds have come as a warning to the fools on the path of darkness. You are the one who is confused!"

"The god speaks to him! He is the new god's holy man!" An imprudent lad shouted out.

"Yes, the god speaks to me," Piper said in a benevolent way, "and you must all listen to his wisdom as it pours forth onto you, like a fountain washing you clean! This village needs me!"

"There is need for you in this village," Nikeisha told him, sensing that he just wanted to be needed, "but you go about it all wrong."

"What would you know of the right way or the wrong way to help this village? You and your fellow students live a life of luxury up in your precious school. What could I possibly do to help this village when all my life I have had nothing? You have been trained. You have weapons! All I have is my prophecies! And you… you would take them away from me? The new god… the new god will strike you down!"

"What if I helped you, so you could protect the town?" Nikeisha cutting through his tirade

"I… I do not know. If I had my old sword and the guards would train me. But to abandon the new god, but, if I could have my old sword…" he trailed off. "I pawned it to the blacksmith." He said bitterly. "If I had it back then I could become a guard and save the village. Then people would respect me, like a real hero! Yes! The new god comes, with a shiny new sword!" Piper was obvious senile.

"If I get your sword back will you stop ranting about this new god?" Nikeisha almost yelled at him.

"I suppose I could just talk to myself about him, if that would help." He whispered. Nikeisha walked off to Fiona's ignoring him as he began ranting again.

"Ah, one of Drogan's students!" Fiona greeted Nikeisha warmly. "Always nice to see your young face in here. Now, which one are you again?" she teased. "I am kidding, Nikeisha! Do not get such a sour face; I have not forgotten you. I am not so old as that."

"I'm sorry, just a little preoccupied." she explained. "Piper said he sold you his sword."

"Yes, that is true. He came in one day looking thin and hungry; I took pity on him and brought it. It would have been an embarrassment to sell it, so I still have it around here somewhere."

"Could I buy it?"

"I suppose it was charity that drove me to buy the poor old sword in the first place. I see no reason to recoup my losses. You may have it."

"Thank you." Nikeisha said gratefully. "Did you have problems with the kobolds?"

Fiona gave a short laugh as she went to get the sword. "One ran in here, and got its brains dashed out by my hammer and then I threw the corpse outside." She gave Nikeisha a cheap shiny sword. "That was the last I saw of any kobolds."

"We must go." Nikeisha announced, realizing that she was standing where the kobold had been and had blood and worst on the soles of her boots. Fiona just grinned impishly at her.

"Do be careful out there." She said, suddenly serious. "I have seen dark times before, as you have I believe, judging by your condition were you arrived at this village, and I think they are back again." Nikeisha nodded. While going back to Piper, she thought of Fiona's words. Fiona was as private of her past as Nikeisha was of her own and knew her words weren't to be taken lightly.

Piper was still raving as Nikeisha pushed through the crowd again, this time holding his sword out to him.

"Oh! That is my beautiful sword." Piper said reverently taking it out of her hands. "Now I can become a guard and help save the village. And the new god will be…" Nikeisha looked at him sternly. "Oh, right… my promise. That's right, there is no new god." He announced to all. "Go about you business. Nothing to see here."

"But what about all the prophesies?" One woman asked. "Are you sure you made them up?"

"Yes, yes, they are all made up. Bye, bye now. Run along." Piper said walking away.

"You lucky you got that sword or you be joining you fake god." A man shouted at him as the crowd dispersed. Nikeisha walked off, heading to gates that lead to outside of the village.


	7. Havoc and Halflings

Beyond the gate laid the farmlands. The crisp snow was churned up from fighting and bright drops of blood sprinkled upon the pure white surface. Nikeisha could make out kobold tracks heading to the south gate of the outer wall, some few also headed to the north.

Three gypsy caravans had stopped on the side of the road in a half circle. Several halflings stood guarding the convoy, while a female halfling was busying about behind them, stooping often, but Nikeisha could not see what she was doing.

Nikeisha started to approach the caravans, hoping that the halflings could tell her more about where the kobolds went.

"Aren't you going to tell Haniah that Piper is no longer a problem?" Dorna asked curiously as she trailed beside Nikeisha.

"No, I'm sure the anticipation of waiting will be good for her." Nikeisha replied.

"I don't know why you did this for her; she is never nice to you."

"She doesn't like elves Dorna." Nikeisha pointed out, "Pretty ironic," she laughed, "considering that she has an elven heritage too."

"I didn't know that."

Nikeisha nodded. "She hides it well, I doubt that many know, but there are just a few little features that give it away."

The guarding halflings glanced at the girls briefly then continued their surveillance of the terrain; that is all but one dressed in black who boldly looked them up and down. Before Nikeisha had covered half of the distance to the halflings she heard a distraught voice starting to cry for help somewhere to the east.

Nikeisha ran, heading towards the cries. The halflings, somewhat nervously, also went to move toward the sounds, but seeing that Nikeisha was heading that way they decided to continue their watch.

Nora Blake was outside her home crying, calling for help, hysterically. Her face was haggard with a mixture of fear and worry. "Oh Nikeisha!" she cried, running into her arms sobbing. "The kobold they… and my baby Tynan he is…" she whimpered he voice barely comprehensible. "and Adam he went…"

"Stay here." Nikeisha said curtly, running inside, concern about Adam and the one-month-old Tynan. She briefly considered leaving Dorna with the distressed woman, but decided that she may need help inside.

Nikeisha almost tripped over Adam, who lay dead near the front door, stabbed repeatedly. Dorna went by Nikeisha and attacked a kobold that was near the corpse, but another come out from around the corner to attack from behind. Nikeisha stepped between her friend and the kobold, forcing it to attack her. Once things were finished downstairs, she went to the top floor, taking the stairs two at a time. There weren't any signs of fighting up here, so she went quickly to the main bedroom. As she entered, she heard a sound and saw a kobold taking Tynan from his crib.

"Yip! Stupid woman. Me got baby and you want it. Me got control of you."

"Just give me the baby and everything will be alright." Nikeisha persuaded gently, sheathing her dagger and hold her arms out for the baby.

"Maybe. For a shiny." Nikeisha was shocked that the kobold was blackmailing her, but she slowly pulled a gem, one that she had picked up in the village, out of her pouch, she offered it to the kobold. The kobold gave her Tynan then snatched the gem from her and went out of the window. Tynan was crying as she took him back to his mother. She rocked him gently, soothing him, noting that he needed a nappy change.

"My Baby!" Nora wept relieved, holding her arms out hungrily for her child. "Where's… Where is Adam." She asked looking around as she rocked Tynan in her arms, noticing that he hadn't come out with them.

"I'm afraid the kobolds…" Nikeisha began as gently as she could but was cut off by Nora.

"NO!" she howled in disbelief cradling her child closely to her.

"I'm sorry Nora." She said soothingly, knowing her words were meaningless, that they didn't change the fact. She place a handful of gold coins into Nora's hand, knowing that too was meaningless to her, but at least she would have some time to find work, and time to mourn. Nikeisha knew how hard it was to be a single parent; her mother had been one.

"No." She said, clutching the coins, not wanting to believe her, but Dorna nodded her head, signaling that it was true. Tears were now running down her face, but both Nikeisha and Dorna hid their own from her. She left them, unable to speak anymore, and went inside to the horror she knew that faced her.

Nikeisha walked off towards the gate, her unshed tears stinging her eyes. The tears blurred her eyes so much that she didn't seen the man in red clothing that stood at the top of the slope that lead to the south gate. He was an exotic appearing man, with dark skin, brown hair, and black eyes.

"An ill wind accompanies this ill-fated day." The man said to Nikeisha, if he was trying to cheer her up, in what was a perverted way. "And does this blasted cold ever end?" he said, pulling his red cloak tighter around him.

"Not noticeably." Nikeisha told him, smiling in spite of herself.

"My name is Szaren and I am a Red wizard of Thay." He announced almost regrettable.

"Nikeisha Darkmoon." She replied politely, although curious, she had heard of the Red wizards of Thay and their apparent evil ways, but Szaren didn't seem to fit the reputation.

"I'm surprised that my admission did make you turn around and walk away. I would say we are off to a great start."

"I judge a person on who he is, not what he is." Nikeisha told him.

"The very attitude I was desperately hoping to find. I have met only with prejudice and an unforgivable lack of courtesy."

"What did you expected?" Nikeisha asked pointedly. "These rural communities only have the stories they hear to judge people and they are too arrogant of their own race to consider that any others are people too."

"Many of those in Thay are the same." He told her then he told how his mistress was trying to end the strife within Thay by showing other rulers in Thay that they can have power and gold through peaceful ways, by setting up magical enclaves.

"That's why you are here." Nikeisha stated

"Yes, unfortunately your mayor is shortsighted and only sees me as an evil Red wizard he has heard about. He refuses to allow me to set up an enclave in Hilltop."

"Veraunt is a fool," Dorna affirmed. "This could make Hilltop a powerful commercial center." Szaren nodded in agreement.

"I'll talk to him," Nikeisha said, "maybe I can make him understand." She seemed to consider what she had said. "Maybe I can beat understanding into him, might be more effective considering his current state."

"Nikeisha!" Dorna said shocked.

She smiled impishly. "Just kidding." She told them, and then walked over to the gate and back into the village grounds.

"Finally you're back." Haniah said as Nikeisha entered the hall and went over to her. "What took you so long," she paused as a thought came to her, "You didn't kill Piper?" she asked, her face slightly pale at the thought.

"No, wouldn't have taken me so long if I had." Nikeisha teased her. Haniah's paled more and Nikeisha just rolled her eyes skywards, "I wouldn't have hurt him. He has agreed to keep quiet providing he gets to be trained as a guard."

"He is too senile to be a guard." Haniah stated flatly.

"I didn't say that." Nikeisha replied with an air of superiority. "Just train him and give him some meaningless job," she explained patiently, but barely, "make him feel like he is doing something important for the community." Haniah was on the verge of protesting, but Nikeisha cut her off. "You will do it, unless you want him as a problem again."

"Fine." She agreed peevishly.

"I met a man named Szaren just outside of the village." Nikeisha continued in a no nonsense manner.

"Is he still around." Haniah sighed wearily. "I mean what could an evil Red wizard want with commerce? I told him that the Mayor would not agree to let him set up here."

"I think he should." Nikeisha told her bluntly.

"What!" she exclaimed astounded.

"You allow your prejudices to decide against something that would benefit Hilltop." Nikeisha told her scornfully. "'An elven is no fool to let an opportunity past by'" She quoted an old proverb allowing her to slip in that she knew of Haniah's elven heritage.

"You know?" Haniah asked in a small voice, her face was stricken as she absorbed the fact that Nikeisha knew.

"Of course. In the same way you recognized me as elven." Haniah looked about guiltily. "You were the only one in this village that saw me as elven when you first saw me." She continued relentlessly.

"Alright! He can stay." Haniah said suddenly. "Just don't tell anyone about my elven half." Nikeisha nodded in agreement. She was a bit startled that Haniah had taken it as blackmail, it wasn't what she intended though she was unsure what she was intending with it, but she was no foolish elven, and as the proverb said, she wasn't going to let the opportunity slip past.

She left without saying another word and returned to the farmlands. She walked straight over to the halflings encampment. Again, the guards paid her the briefest of attention, except the one in black, whom continued to look her up and down.

As Nikeisha got closer to the caravans, she finally could see what the female halfling was doing. The halfling was fanatically moving about the area trying to tend to three injured halflings; evidently, the convoy had arrived before the kobolds.

Without discussing it, Dorna and Nikeisha went over to those that were injured. Nikeisha tossed a healing kit to the female halfling even as she knelt over the body of one, healing him with a kit of her own. Dorna knelt over another, curing him with a healing spell. The female halfling looked suspiciously at the two girls helping her, but she still used the kit to heal the last.

"Look…" The halfling said flatly. "I didn't ask you to heal anyone. We can make do on our own."

"I was just trying to help." Nikeisha said defensively.

"Well, I suppose this does speed up our recovery a bit. I… thank you." The woman said grudgingly. "I am Katriana by the way." She introduced herself. Katriana had black wavy hair; it looked very much like satin, and dark golden brown eyes.

"Nikeisha." She answered briefly. "You were attacked by the kobolds." It wasn't exactly a question.

"Obviously." Katriana replied sardonically. "Thankfully they didn't take anything important. Well, they did take Daschnaya's cards, sadly." She amended.

"Daschnaya?"

"Our fortune teller." Katriana sighed. "Those cards have been in her family for generations."

"Do you know which way the kobolds went?" Nikeisha asked getting down to business.

"My cousin Torias might." Katriana said pointing to the man in black. Nikeisha sighed, she was hoping that she could avoid him; the way he looked her up and down was making her very uncomfortable.

"I'll go talk to him then." Nikeisha said, hoping to get it over and done with.

"Right, then. Fare you well." Katriana said. Nikeisha was sure you could see a slight smirk on the woman's face.

Nikeisha walked over to the Halfling that Katriana had pointed out. Torias was clearly a relation to Katriana; he had the same hair colour and deep puppy brown eyes. The look he gave Nikeisha was one that identified him as a male that thought of himself as a ladies man.

"Why hello there," he greeted her with a warm smile. "Such a pretty face is a treat…"

"Do you know where the kobolds went?" she asked, deciding that the best way to deal with this type of male was to keep everything straight to the point.

He pouted a bit but decided to answer Nikeisha's question rather than complain; the fact that Nikeisha was glaring at him may have been the reason for that decision. "Well, they all came out of Hilltop," he began, "and went south, but a few left the main body and attacked us, those went north. I followed them for a bit to an old farm house, most jumped the river north of the house but some went inside."

"I think we should check out the farm." Nikeisha told Dorna, thinking that there was a possibility that one of those kobolds that went into the house might have an artifact.

"Have fun." Torias said as they walked off to the north; clearly, he was listening in.

They walked up a hill, entering an old farm. In the old farm was a small farm house that the kobold tracks led into. When Nikeisha had first arrived, the local village children had told her stories on how it was haunted and that they weren't allowed near it. Drogan had informed her that the previous occupants had died of a mysterious diseased but the village people were too superstitious to know that the disease was already gone, nonetheless he told her to stay away from it as it was falling apart.

She carefully entered; a fair amount of the ceiling had caved in, allowing light and fresh air. Debris of rotting furnishing was about, as well as leaves and other things the wind had blown in. Birds and spiders had made homes in sheltered areas, and mold was growing in damp places. Nikeisha bent to the ground, seeing more tracks leading to the cellar.

The cellar was a damp, dark cavernous room below the house. A kobold stood behind a pile of wreckage, like an imitation breastworks, a crossbow resting across the top. Nikeisha dropped quickly to the ground as she heard the musical twang of the crossbow. The bolt flew over her head and whizzed past Dorna's. She was already casting her spell as she stood up, while the kobold worked fervently to re-cock its weapon, but Nikeisha had released her spell, flame arrows, before it did.

Dorna had seen two more kobolds, one on each side of the first. They were hiding and making no move to help their friend. She edge her way around Nikeisha and silently made her way to the closer one, both were too busy watching Nikeisha to see her, but when the half-elf cast her spell, they come out of hiding to attack.

Dorna hit the one she was creeping up on with her axe, while Nikeisha rushed the other, slitting its throat before it could pull the trigger.

Nikeisha carefully wiped her blade on the rags that the kobold wore, and looked around, noticing that something had fallen on the ground near the first kobold. She went over to it and picked a beautiful little box, inside was the cards that Katriana was looking for.

Dorna came over to her, her face rigid with suppress fury. "Do you have to be so inconsiderate of your own life?" she asked.

"What?" Nikeisha asked confused.

"Rushing at an enemy that has a bow."

"It's fine. It throws them off balance when someone rushes them, they aren't use to that, besides a moving target is harder to hit."

"One day you will meet someone who doesn't hesitate."

Nikeisha shrugged, leading the way back outside. "We all die of something."

"That first bolt nearly hit you." Dorna pointed out.

"But I was agile enough to duck it."

"It nearly hit me." Nikeisha stopped just near the caravans and looked at her friend.

"Next time I won't duck then." She told her playfully.

"Nikeisha!" Dorna exclaimed, and then laughed realizing that she was joking.

"Hullo again." Katriana said as they returned.

"Are these the cards you're looking for?" Nikeisha asked showing her the box and its contents.

"They are!" Katriana said with both surprise and happiness. "Daschnaya will be happy to have them back." She paused. "Why don't you go give them to her? She's in the caravan behind me."

Nikeisha was a little reluctant, she wanted to follow the kobolds before they got too far ahead, but she went to Daschnaya, it wouldn't take her too long she reasoned.

The wooden stairs shrieked with protest as Nikeisha walked up them to the wagon's door. She knocked lightly before entering.

The inside had cushions that were strewn across the floor to be used for sitting on, and a beaded curtain portioned off the rear. Behind a low table sat a halfling. She was an older woman, with charcoal gray hair, and her eyes a sparkly midnight blue.

"What is it?" the elderly woman asked annoyed.

"I found your cards." Nikeisha said placing them on the table in front of Daschnaya.

"Oh! So you do, so you do." She exclaimed happily. "Let me do a reading for you, as a reward for returning them."

"No, it's fine."

"Such a sweet girl," she said smiling at her, "but I certainly can't let you leave without a reward."

Nikeisha smiled back at the old lady, relenting. _If it would make the old woman happy what harm would it do, and it shouldn't take long._ Nikeisha told herself.

"Ah good." Daschnaya said, pleased at her acceptance. "Sit" she instructed as she began laying the cards in a pattern. "Hmmm. Most interesting… Daschnaya sees a long road ahead before you, fraught with perils. Something valuable has been stolen and you seek to find it." She laid down another card. "It lies in the hands of one who… who hides in a village to the east. But this one is not of that village. Frightened, is he, frightened and weak. He will ask your help, dear girl, and you must not refuse it should you wish to gain what was stolen. And you must gain it back. It is most dangerous. More than anything else that was taken. It must not fall into her hands!"

"Whose hands?" Nikeisha asked, realizing she was holding her breath.

"I… know not." She said puzzled, and perhaps even scare, as she laid the last card. "I cannot look upon the face of the one who seeks what you seek, and I do not know why. The future is closed. That is all I can say… except that finding what you seek is only the beginning. Be wary, young one… be wary."

"Thank you, Daschnaya." Nikeisha said uncertainly

"Daschnaya see less than she would like, but often more than she should. I can only hope my pitiful skill has offered you some insight. Now I tire. You have my thanks and we are quits. Daschnaya would go to bed… and you have an adventure before you. I hope the future finds you well." And she abruptly left, going behind the beaded curtain.

Nikeisha was awed, even a little shaken, as she walked back out into the afternoon sun, walking towards the south gate. Daschnaya had seen, or perhaps not seen, something that alarmed her. She wasn't sure if she truly believed, but she was definitely keeping an open mind about it.

"So what did the mayor say?" Szaren asked as Nikeisha nearly walked past him.

"Oh," she said startled out of her thoughts, she had totally forgotten to tell the Red Wizard about Hainah's decision, "it's fine for you to stay." She told him, glossing over how the decision was made.

"You have been of great assistance, Nikeisha." He told then, using magic to do so, he disappeared into the afternoon.

Nikeisha smiled as he disappeared, she felt good to be helping people, she thought as she walked down the hill to the south gate, the last gate between Hilltop and the outside world.

"Hello Nikki," Venny Marlson said as she went down the slope. He clearly took his job as captain seriously enough to put himself between Hilltop and the kobolds, should they come again. Nikeisha waved her greeting as she headed directly for the gate. "You aren't going out, are you? With the kobolds out there?"

"I'll be fine." She answered with more confidence then she felt. She was beginning to have some anxiety about leaving; about her own capability to do this quest. The last fight with the kobolds had shown her that perhaps it wasn't going to be as easy as she had first thought on her first encounter.

"Be careful." He cautioned her but said no more, instead he simple open the gate wide enough to let her and Dorna through.


	8. Beyond the Gates of Hilltop

The gate boomed shut behind them leaving them to stand upon the road that continued in an easterly direction and slightly southwards. The area was a vast hilly field nestled between the Nether Mountains to the north and the High Forest to the south. Clumps of shrub like trees dotted the area.

Few traveled this far north, and even fewer at this time of the year. This was a mixed blessing; the road before them was clearly defined but so clogged with snow as to make traveling slow and difficult, and with the fresh snow from the previous night there were only a few tracks of wild animals on the snow, making it easy to spot the trail of the kobolds. It wasn't hard to follow them anyway, as they kept persistently to the road, though the road was taken them further away from their cave in the mountains.

This stubbornness of the kobolds triggered Nikeisha's curiosity, and with no real concealment around, she opted to stay on the road, following the track. As they moved closer to the forest, the thickets of trees became more regular. Nikeisha took advantage of the protection they offered, staying in amongst the foliage, and paralleling the road, returning only when the cluster of trees ended or checking if the kobolds hadn't left the road.

The clouds that had been building up earlier that day had blown off and the sun hovered low on the western horizon threaten to disappear entirely at any moment. They were, yet again, moving through another thicket when, suddenly, somewhere deeper in the little grove a low growl was heard, a sound that was mixed with pain.

"What's that!" Dorna asked in alarm. Nikeisha had noticed that Dorna wasn't comfortable in amongst the trees. She put a finger upon her lips signaling for the dwarf to keep quiet.

Nikeisha listened intently. Somewhere ahead, in the direction the road was going, she could hear water tumbling over stones, and somewhere else close by she heard the almost silent movements of a skittish deer. Then she heard the growl again, the sound wasn't a warning to them but rather just a creature feeling very sorry for itself.

She moved quietly, cautiously to the sound, with Dorna trailing unenthusiastically behind her. As she round the corner of a small cliff Nikeisha saw what the creature was, it was a big brown grizzly bear. It rose up warning her and with a start, Nikeisha realized she had placed herself between the mother bear and her two very young cubs.

As the bear stood on its hind legs, Nikeisha could see the arrow shaft protruding from its chest. The wound wasn't mortal, but it was painful. Using every ounce of her empathy power and patience Nikeisha tenderly convinced the bear to allow her to approach to gently remove the arrow, cleanse the wound.

"Dorna," Nikeisha called to the dwarf, whom was staying well away and out of sight of the bear. "She needs a healing spell." Dorna seem apprehensive and was about to object, but sighed and cast the spell from where she stood. The bear didn't understand that Dorna had healed her, only that she was healed, so she thanked Nikeisha thinking it was her doing.

Nikeisha was smirking at Dorna as the bear disappeared with her cubs into the trees. "She knew you were there Dorna," Nikeisha informed her, "she could smell you."

"Well at least I had a chance to run if she attacked." Dorna said as they walked back towards the road.

Nikeisha laughed at that. "She could run faster than you."

"Tell me Nikeisha, do you know the meaning of fear?" Dorna asked almost spitefully.

"Intimately."

Dorna was about to respond as they had moved out of the trees just off from the road, the sun completely beyond the horizon now, but suddenly Nikeisha bent over to examine some tracks, her expression was puzzled as she stood but up. "What's wrong?" Dorna asked nervously.

"Nothing, just some stag tracks." Nikeisha said. "I just don't recognize them."

"You can't know the track of every creature." Dorna replied philosophically

"I guess so." Nikeisha agreed, and then unexpectedly she flashed her impish grin. "But you can try." Dorna rolled her eyes skywards.

A bridge in the road crossed the stream that Nikeisha had heard, and then the road turned northwards going up a hill. At the top of the hill, an elf was setting up his night encampment, and somewhat to the east were the bodies of kobolds and a few other humanoid bodies, creatures that looked a lot like a hyena. Nikeisha felt anger as she looked at the gnolls, and some satisfaction at their death. She pushed that feeling from her mind; it had served no purpose when it had been it the past, and it served no purpose now.

"Come, warm yourself by the fire." The elf invited seeing Nikeisha rubbing her hands together for warmth. With the setting of the sun, the air had turned bitterly cold and Nikeisha thought she could smell the dusky scent of snow coming, though no clouds were visible.

Nikeisha smiled her thanks, moving eagerly over to the fire and warming her gloveless hands over it. That was one draw back to being a sorceress; the power of spells was released through the hands and to wear gloves impeded this, particularly on fire spells where the gloves would catch on fire. Nikeisha learnt that lesson the hard way.

"I'm Ferran Valiantheart," the elf introduced himself, moving closer to them. The fire gave his blonde hair a ruby glow and made his brown eye seem golden.

"Nikeisha Darkmoon," she responded, "and Dorna Trapspringer." She continued pointing over at Dorna.

"So what brings you two out here on a night like this?" he inquired, "as you can see it's more dangerous than normal." He said looking meaningfully at the bodies.

"Actually it's the kobolds that have." Nikeisha replied.

"Ah, adventurers-" he began.

"In training." Dorna amended.

"Did you see what happen here?" Nikeisha asked.

"Yes." He replied and told them how the kobolds when ambushed by the gnolls and the gnolls had demands something before attacking. Some of the kobolds had run into an elven crypt, while the rest had gone north towards the mountains.

"What about the gnolls?"

"They headed east; I can only assume they turned southwards to the forest."

Nikeisha looked appraising at the handsome elf. He appeared to be a ranger, and with the bow by his side, perhaps even an arcane archer. "So why are you here?" she asked.

"I hunt the Shadow Hart."

"The vanishing white stag?" Nikeisha said startled, remembering having heard of the creature before.

"You have heard of him." Ferran noted somewhat pleased by her knowledge. "I have managed to track him to around this area."

"I saw some strange stag prints not far from the bottom of this hill." Nikeisha said absently, she was still a little shocked that this elf was hunting such a magnificence creature.

"Truly? There is more to you then what shows on the surface." He said amazed. "I'm afraid I need his horns for a cure to an illness my wife has." He continued sensing Nikeisha's displeasure. "My wife is worth more than my own life. I must get the horns of the Shadow Hart or perish in the attempt." He continued needing to explain his choice. "I do not expect you to understand."

Nikeisha nodded, her mind not able to fully comprehend how the love of someone could drive another to sacrifice their own life, but she did understand that such a love was as rare and unique as the Shadow Hart itself.

"Strangely" he continued suddenly remembering something, "not too long ago a kobold emerged from the crypt heading east towards Blumberg." With his simple statement, the words of Daschnaya echoed in Nikeisha's mind, _"It lies in the hands of one who hides in a village to the east"_

Nikeisha thanked the elf for his hospitality and left heading for the east. She saw the crypt lying to her right. The only bit that was visible was the entrance, even that was barely noticeable, as thousands of years of dirt and whatnot had accumulated over the structure.

She paused as indecision swept over her. She knew that a kobold that walked alone into a human village would be slaughtered as soon as the villagers got him, and if Daschnaya was right and she needed this kobold, all would be lost if he dies. But what of the kobolds in the crypt, they may have the artifacts and if she left them here now they may leave while she went to Blumberg.

She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, as she considered her options. The life of the one kobold was far more certain then the possibility of the ones in the crypt leaving and she could always track them if they did.

The moon rose about an hour after the sun set, making it a little easier for the two adventurers to see their way as they moved as quickly as they could, without making any sound, to Blumberg.

They weren't far from Blumberg when they heard the defying crack of a twig breaking under pressure. They both suddenly stopped, panting softly, they breath steaming in the frigid air. Nikeisha unnecessarily placed a finger upon her lip signaling for silence, Dorna rolled her eyes at the gesture, evidence of Nikeisha tendency towards bossiness, but said nothing.

At the point they stood, the road, followed a cliff that reared up in front of them, moved around a corner. The cliff obstructed the view on the left of the road and a thick cluster of trees did the same on the right, the spot would be ideal for ambushes.

Dorna moved, without checking with Nikeisha, as silently as a stalking cat to the edge of the cliff, ducking her head around so quickly that if one were to blink they would miss it. She returned to Nikeisha and led her some distance back up the road.

"Gnolls." Dorna breathe to Nikeisha. "Half a dozen, they are blocking the road."

"Not exactly an ambush then." Nikeisha noted.

"No, but they still have the same advantage if someone were to happen by." A horrid through occur to Nikeisha even as Dorna asked the fateful question. "Why would they be blocking the road, though?"

Nikeisha lips had begun to turn white in fury. "They aren't blocking, they are guarding." It took all of her self control to keep her voice down. Dorna looked at Nikeisha uncomprehending and somewhat startled at her anger. "They had made a raid into Blumberg, Dorna." Dorna's face went ashen white at Nikeisha statement, her hand gripped tightly around her axe. "Forget the weapon, gnolls are superb fighters, but watch for the shaman, most packs have one." Dorna nodded, but still held her axe, even as she and Nikeisha walked purposely around the corner.

The canine like humanoids snarled and growled, froth flicked from their long sharp tooth filled muzzles. They were somewhat alarmed by the pair's unhesitant approach but not surprised by their appearance from around the corner, as they moved to attack the girls. Their assault was intimidating due to their stature of over seven foot tall and all, but one, supported well muscled arms and chest, and armed with rusty battle axes.

The slender one, obvious the pack's shaman, stood back slightly, feverishly trying to cast a spell. Then the ground shook as Dorna released the spell she had been preparing. Nikeisha had the hold on to the cliff face to stay standing. Thankfully the vibrations were more where the gnolls were standing, all of them collapsing to the ground from the violent tremors.

"Warn me next time you used that spell." Nikeisha complained to Dorna even as she followed up with a spell of her own that she had been preparing. She launched a rather large fireball into these midst, causing many to yelp in pain and run about as the fire singed their reddish brown fur. Two did not yelp nor moved, killed instantly from the dual spells, the shaman amongst the fallen.

"Sorry" Dorna called back over the noise, watching three of the remaining gnolls looking alarmed at their fallen, then they looked over to the forth gnoll fearfully. "Do you think they might run away?" She asked hopefully.

"Not with him about." Nikeisha replied pointing at the forth, obvious by now the leader of the small pack. The leader issued a barking command in a dog like voice to the other, spurring the others to attack again, even as he hung back.

A gnoll, either more afraid of the leader or bolder then the others, made a mad dash at Nikeisha. She quickly cast another spell and the rash gnoll fell convulsing to the ground as electrical currents course through his body; when he stop twitching, he was dead. The remaining gnolls, startled and more alarmed by the violent death of their comrade, moved hesitantly towards Nikeisha, their focus totally on her, unaware of Dorna moving around their flank towards the leader.

The two gnoll began to separate to flank Nikeisha as they moved toward her, but Nikeisha didn't give them time to get an advantage. She quickly unsheathed her dagger and threw it in a smooth underarm throw, the sharp blade sinking into the furry chest of one of the gnolls with a meaty thud.

The final gnoll facing Nikeisha gaze over at the leader, sensing his own mortally, he was searching for a way to escape, but he still feared the leader. Nikeisha also glance over, just in time to see that Dorna had snuck up behind the leader, on his right side. With her axe poised, she swung at the gnoll's unprotected side.

Nikeisha didn't see the strike, her eyes blurred with tears even as the similarity of the attack brought to her the memory of her mother's last few moments alive.

Nikeisha had known that something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. The stench of smoke in the air gave mute evidence to that. The scene that was to greet her as she emerged out of the forest and into the clearing where her village had stood was horrifying, but the first thing she had seen was her mother.

Her mother was fighting with several gnolls, her skills as a superb fighter from her days of adventurer had not diminished as the years had past, but even she was hard press to fight three gnoll hand to hand.

A fourth gnoll had snuck up behind Nikeisha's mother, on her right side, with his axe poised, ready to strike. Nikeisha tried to save her mother, she cast a spell at the lone gnoll, but her inexperience made her miss her target and then he swung at Nikeisha mother's unprotected side.

The axe cut deep, shattering the ribs. Blood flooded the lungs, causing a liquidly cough and choking the body of air. Frothy blood spewed from the mouth, even as the last ounce of life was taken.

Nikeisha saw a rapid movement from the corner of her eye. She looked quickly to see the last gnoll fleeing. Without thinking, and caught up in the anger and pain of her mother death, she moved to cast a spell, but then Dorna was there, her hand gripped around Nikeisha's arm.

"No Nikeisha let him go." She told the vengeful young red head. Nikeisha took in a deep shaky breath, pushing the past back where in belonged. "Are you okay?" Dorna asked concerned.

"Fine." Nikeisha said curtly turning quickly so Dorna would not see the unshed tears. She then moved away to retrieve her dagger, pulling it roughly from the body and left for Blumberg.

The young adventurers ran, as fast as they could, to Blumberg, but even as they got closer they could smell the reek of smoke. The scene that was before them was terrifying. The gate lay asunder upon the ground and the building smoldered in ruins. The occurrence was very familiar to Nikeisha; it was the same as what happen to her village.

A vast anger sweep over Nikeisha; her purpose of becoming an adventurer was to help people, to stop what had happen to her village, and Ashuador's, from happening again. But it had happen again, and she couldn't have prevented it. _If only I had wiped out the gnolls_. She stopped as that thought occurred to her, clenching her fists as she tried to control her temper, she could not betray her mother's memory again, she would not abandon all that she had been taught by both her mother and Master Drogan.

So caught up in her own emotions, Nikeisha did not see the elderly man lying on the ground next to the stump of the gate post. "Nikeisha!" Dorna exclaimed lightly as the gentleman moaned softly, "the man is alive." She said, and then quickly cast a healing spell upon him.

The man had been grievously hurt and he was covered in dirt and his own blood. He moaned louder as the spell began to knit his wounds back together. With painful effort, he pulled himself up to lean against the former gate post. Both girls kneel beside him, as he rested there gasping slightly in pain.

"I thank you." He began, his eyes close. Then he open them, his deep brown eyes peered at the girls wildly, almost insanely. "A kobold," he gasped, "he came running in," his voice began to get louder.

"Shh." Nikeisha soothed, fearful that his voice might alert some gnolls.

"The gnolls came after him," he went up another pitch, "they slaughtered every -" he paused as a twig snapped nearby. "What's that?" He yelled in alarmed.

An arrow came from the trees, only yards away. The arrow struck the man, piercing his heart, killing him instantly. Then two gnolls come out of the shadows, the one with the bow dropped it, evidently out of arrows.

The gnolls were too close for spells to be safely cast, and Nikeisha was too furious to be satisfied with anything but a physical assault. She leaped to her feet, her dagger in her hand, and rushed the gnolls with Dorna just behind her.

Startled by this insane behavior, the gnolls were not prepared defend themselves properly. The one closest to the girls made a feeble attempt to attack Nikeisha, but she simply ducked under the swing of the axe.

"That's for the old man," she said through clenched teeth as she drove her dagger into the abdomen of the creature. She then twisted her dagger and cut up towards searching for the heart. She could feel it quivering on the tip of the dagger, "and that's for my mother," she said as the point penetrated the heart.

The gnoll let out a gurgling sigh as he fell limply of the blade. The second gnoll was by far a superior fighter than the first had been and he fenced with Dorna with great skill, but still little the dwarf was better. Suddenly, in a move made by frustration, the gnoll made a wide swing at Dorna, a swing she easily blocked but he could not block her counter strike.

The gnoll screamed in agony as Dorna's blade bit low into his side, and then blood gushed out of his mouth, even as the axe was ripped back out of his side. His own axe fell from his nerveless hand, landing on the ground with a thump. He placed his hand, uncomprehending, to his side and then looked at the blood covering it, and then he too fell to the ground.

His scream hadn't gone unnoticed. About half a dozen gnolls came running from inside the village to see what the commotion was. Both girls went back to there spells rapidly casting spell after spell, slaying gnoll after gnoll.

They entered the village warily. Nearly every building was ablaze with fire, the flames spitefully lighting up the bodies of the fallen like beacons, whether it chicken, cow, or human; sorrowful reminders of what had transpired.

Curiously, there was tracks on the ground, visible in the flicking light, suggesting that several gnolls had left taken prisoners with them. This behavior was strange to Nikeisha, for in her village all had been slaughtered.

"This place looks worst then Hilltop." Dorna said in sick horror as she looked about. Nikeisha absently nodded her head in agreement, more focus on a noise that sounded like someone chopping a tree than what Dorna was saying.

They rounded the corner of a house and it was then that Nikeisha saw what the source of the sound was. A single gnoll remained, chopping frenetically with his battle axe upon the door of the only building that was not in smoldering ruins. Dorna looked at Nikeisha quizzically, but she only returned a blank look.

They moved closer as the gnoll continued his frantic pounding. Suddenly he stopped, hearing the ladies approaching. He turned and raised the axe, preparing to charge the pair, but the axe dropped from his hands as he fled to the forest in fright, realizing he was alone.

"What so important about this place?" Dorna ask as they walked over to where the gnoll had been hacking at the door. "Why is it still standing?" Nikeisha shrugged her shoulders and kicked the already weaken door, releasing all her anger and frustration. The door frame splintered as the lock was forced open, the door slamming loudly upon the interior wall.

The inside was dark. The aroma of food came strongly to Nikeisha, and even as her stomach growled she remember she hadn't eaten since that morning. Merged with the smell of food was a musky odor of material. A slight whimpering sound came from the far corner.

From the flicking light of the burning house across the street filtering through the open door, Nikeisha could make out an object in front of her and she cast a simple light spell upon it. A white glow began to emanate from the object revealing it as a brazier. As the light grew stronger, they could see that the building was one room, a shop of some sort, the mixture of both food and clothing suggesting a general store, and unlike the rest of the village the room was undisturbed.

Even as the light grew brighter, the sobbing grew louder; the person hidden from view by the store's counter. "Please. You no hurts Deekin!" a voice finally cried out in fear.

"We aren't going to hurt you," Nikeisha said gently, "why don't you come out so we can see you?" she coaxed.

"Remember you said you not hurt Deekin," the voice said as scuffling sounds were heard of Deekin slowly moving out from behind the counter.

Dorna gasped in surprise as they saw Deekin. He was a kobold, dressed in rags with pale grayish scaly skin, unlike the more brownish skin of the other kobolds, as if he didn't see very much sun.

"What are you doing in here?" Nikeisha asked, also surprised.

"Umm, hiding." Deekin replied evasive.

"From the gnolls." Dorna guessed.

"Well, them too."

"Who else are you hiding from?" Nikeisha asked.

"Master." He said. "Deekin is servant to the Master. Deekin sings song, tells tales that keep Master happy. That why Master send Deekin with the other kobolds; so Deekin write story for Master later." Deekin explained

"So you're some kind of a jester? How interesting." Dorna mused. "But why are you hiding from this 'Master'"

"Deekin did something terrible." Deekin said. "Deekin was carrying tower statue and the gnolls startled him, and he dropped it and it broke."

"You broke the tower statue!" both girls exclaimed in unison. Deekin shrunk back behind the counter, fearfully.

"Do you still have the tower?" Nikeisha asked gently, hoping to bring him back out.

"You want the statue?" he asked peering around the corner of the counter. She hesitated but Deekin was able to read the look on her face. "Ooo, you want the statue." Nikeisha nodded grudgingly. "Umm, if nice lady help Deekin, Deekin will give statue to her."

"What do I have to do?" Nikeisha asked in a resigned voice.

"Deekin wants to be free. You get Master to free Deekin. Okay?"

"Are you blackmailing me?" Nikeisha asked in shock.

"Umm, yep." Deekin said unconcerned by that fact.

"Just who is this Master?"

"Master a white dragon named Tymofarrar." He stared at her with his piecing glowing yellow eyes. "Is elfish human going to help Deekin?"

"Alright." Nikeisha reluctantly agreed with a sick look on her face. Deekin jumped up and down excitedly at Nikeisha volunteered acceptance to her doom.

"Umm, Deekin hide here. You come back when you are done with old Master." Nikeisha left the shop without reply.

"Are you crazy?" Dorna exclaimed as they stood outside with Nikeisha drawing in deep breaths to calm her nerves.

"Probably." Nikeisha agreed, with a faint smile, "but crazy people never know if they are crazy."

"This is no time to joke." Dorna continued to rant, "What are you going to do against a dragon?"

"I thought I'll try talking to him." Dorna gave Nikeisha a long look. "Do you have a better idea?" The dwarf shook her head doubtfully. "I don't see we have much choice, the dragon is the one that order the theft and probably has at least some of the artifacts." Nikeisha looked gravely at her friend. "I don't expect you to go up against a dragon, so if you want to go back to Drogan's I'll understand."

"What, and leave you with sole claim to the dragon's hoard? I don't think so." Nikeisha smiled at that. "Count me in."


	9. Kobolds and Fright

They left the ruin village of Blumberg at a quick pace; devouring a loaf of bread Dorna had filched from the shop.

As they left the shelter of the band of trees that encircled the village that was struck by a chill wind, and down from the northeast, the wind definitely carrying the smell of snow.

They pushed on, passing the spot where they had killed the gnolls. Small carnivorous creatures, scavenge as for the most part, were feasting on the remains, but had scurried away as the girls approached.

Dorna looked at the corpses with revulsion; troubled with the idea of other creatures eating the remains of another. Nikeisha took it all in stride, it was simply the way of the forest, and people did much the same thing when they farmed or hunted animals. Although the notion that, should she died out in the wilderness, animals would eat her did make Nikeisha's flesh crawl. Nikeisha decided not to mention the fact that some creatures were impatient, and if you were taking too long to die, they would start eating before you finished.

"Where are you going?" Dorna asked some time later when Nikeisha turned to follow the road back to the west.

"I want to check out the crypt." The redhead replied. "Hopefully the kobolds are still in there. They might have some of the artifacts and I would hate to chase them down later if I don't have to now."

"Good thinking," Dorna applaud with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm glad Drogan gave you this task. I don't think I could do this, to take command of an adventure." Dorna said seriously.

"You will never really know until you are placed in charge."

"True." Dorna agreed. "My sister thought she could handle the stubbornness of the elders, but she was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Dorna sighed deeply before continuing, "Well females weren't allowed into dwarven priesthood until a few years ago, and I was the first female of my clan to enter. The elders didn't like it but they had no choice but to tolerate it. My sister saw me as a rebel and she too wanted to rebel. But she didn't join the priesthood, instead she seek warrior training, some thing females aren't permitted."

"And the elders would not tolerate that" Nikeisha guessed.

Dorna nodded, "they forbid her to continue, but she defied them, so they exiled her."

"And that's when you changed your name to Trapspringer?"

Dorna looked at Nikeisha and, awed by her perception, that the emerald eyed half elven realized that her last name wasn't a normal Dwarven name. "Not straight away, no. I changed it after I left, but a few other things happen before I decided to leave." Nikeisha nodded respectfully, sensing Dorna reluctance to continue, she wasn't going to force her dwarven friend to tell more, and they remained silent for the rest of the way to the crypt.

The stone door of the crypt stood open and the bottom half of the doorway, like the rest of the crypt, was cover in centuries of compacted dirt and rocks, leaving a cave like entrance at the top of the doorway.

Nikeisha saw immediately why the gnolls hadn't followed the kobolds into the crypt, the opening would be far too small for them larger gnolls.

Dorna and Nikeisha lowered themselves inside; squeezed through the tiny cavity, receive numerous tears in their clothes as well as a long scrap on Nikeisha's forearm.

The crypt was dark and the air stale. Bats fluttered overhead as Nikeisha and Dorna's presence disturbed them. Nikeisha threw some bread crumbs she had left to calm them, as she reached for an unlit torch that had rested in its bracket for eons, lighting it with a small, tightly controlled fire spell.

"You're lazy Nikki." Dorna noted.

"What? I'm not going to use up my energy trying to maintain a light spell."

Dorna shrugged, "you're the one that has to carry the torch."

The area they had entered was a large cavernous room, with columns of a seeming delicate nature, beautifully sculptured of elven design, supporting the ceiling. Dust and debris carpeted the floor. The white limestone plaster had crumpled away from the wall in places, leaving it to look splotchy and cobwebs hung about the room.

Directly opposite to the entrance run a long, wide hallway and the footprints of the kobolds, clearly visible in the dust led down that corridor, and at the start of the passageway was a marker.

"What's the matter, Dorna?" Nikeisha asked as she walked over to the marker, noting her friend's anxious look.

"You can smell the death in the air." Dorna said nervously,

"I suppose that's appropriate," Nikeisha said with an impish smile, "considering where we are." Dorna laughed weakly.

Nikeisha kneel before the marker, examining the writing chiseled upon its surface. The writing was in elven and, although badly faded, still legible. "Herein lie the brave warriors of Ascalhorn." Nikeisha read out loud, her face paled at the name 'Ascalhorn'. "Know ye that they perished with honor, and that the memory of their grim duty shall fill our hearts with sadness for all eternity. If thou dost enter this hollowed place, enter with respect. Those who seek only to defile shall be granted no mercy."

"Well that spoils the idea of getting rich off of this place." Dorna declared.

"You were really going to rob the dead, were you?" Nikeisha asked startled.

"Only the mined objects. Dwarves would have taken them from the earth to begin with, so it's not right that the elves should return them."

"And if you happen profit, all the better." Nikeisha replied sarcastically.

Dorna shrugged unconcern by Nikeisha's spiteful remark. "So what's this place Ascalhorn?"

"Hellgate Keep." Nikeisha replied in a hush voice, saying its more commonly known name.

"You mean the place where all those elves practiced dark magic?" Dorna asked timidly. Nikeisha just nodded her head. "Where they call upon both devils and demons from the other planes?" Again, Nikeisha nodded as she stood up. "Where there was a blood war between those creatures that lasted for five centuries?" Nikeisha nodded yet again as she began to walk deeper into the crypt. "Nikeisha! Where are you going?" Dorna called to the young half elven, her voice anxious.

"After the kobolds." Nikeisha called back. "Are you coming?"

"Nikeisha this is Hellgate keep." Dorna said, stressing the name.

"No. This is a crypt that was built for those that stood up to all that evil."

"But they are still people from Hellgate keep; they would know the dark arts."

"Dorna, our business is with the kobolds, as long as we keep that in mind and don't defile this place, which includes taking any of their items, we will be fine."

Dorna hesitated still, but then, unable to fault Nikeisha's reasoning she followed her down the corridor.

"If I die in here I will haunt you." Dorna threaten Nikeisha.

"That's assuming that I don't die too." The red head replied playfully.

A solid metal gate stood at the far end of the hallway, and it surprisingly open easily with very little sound as Nikeisha pulled it open. As they past through the portal the gate closed with a chilling clang.

The room beyond was larger than the previous had been and the light from the guttering torch did not reach the side walls. In center of the room was a large stone pillar.

As Nikeisha walked towards to the pillar a panicky kobold emerged from the door to the lower level, which was directly across the room from them, and rats quickly swarmed the kobold. There was nothing left of the kobold, a few moments later, when the rats were finished.

One of there number, a large dire rat, the leader, saw the two girls and went to attack them. Nikeisha and Dorna reacted instantaneously. Dorna killed dire rat with her axe, while Nikeisha cast firebrand, each flaming ball seeking its target with fatal accuracy. A difficult feat to do as each ball had to be controlled to go exactly where it was needed.

Nikeisha went over to the pillar, reading the elven inscription, a poem about how the warriors that now sleep eternally in this crypt rose up against the evil that was happening in Ascalhorn, in a hope to stop it. She moved clockwise around the pillar, but the script on each face was the same as the first.

When Nikeisha looked up, she was now facing the door that had initially been on her left. The door was close but, through the gaps around the edges, a faint light glowed. The light was definitely not from a fire, it was steady and incandescence.

Dorna, who had checked the door that had been on the right and found it to be locked, had also seen the light and together they moved towards it. Nikeisha put her hand on the door, grabbing hold of the handle. She slowly turned it, the lock shrieking from the rust, the noise echoing through the burial vault loudly, as did the hinges as the pair pushed the door open.

The room they entered was long and devoid of anything, apart from the dust and debris on the floor, except a single statue at the far end. The statue was large, as tall as the ceiling and covered a third of the wall, and it was from this stone figure that the pure unwavering light emanated from.

Upon the floor, there was evidence that a rug had ran from the door to the base of the effigy, but it had long since rotted away. Nikeisha followed the path of the perished runner and then kneed at the foot of the statue, praying. Without even reading the scripture upon the base, Nikeisha knew that this sculpture was a representation of the God Corellon Larethian, the ruler of the elven gods and the creator of the elven race.

"I thought you were religious." Dorna said as Nikeisha stood up, preparing to leave the room.

"I'm not," Nikeisha said simply. "Well, not really," she continued seeing Dorna's puzzled look, "I don't worship any god, but I do believe in them all, and respect them, be them elven, human or even Dwarven gods."

"Truly?" Dorna said astonished, her eyes alight as they emerged back out in the room they had just left. "Perhaps later you and I can have discussions about Vergadain. It would be fascinating." Nikeisha, leading the way to the lower level, smiled placidly at the enthusiastic little dwarf, but in truth she thought that religious talks to be anything but fascinating.

As Nikeisha and Dorna appeared into the lower passageways, they were greeted with a shower of bolts, falling short of their intended target. Both instinctively dropped to the floor. The torch, slipping from Nikeisha's hand, landed on the floor with a woodenly thud and rolled before extinguishing it self, sending them into darkness.

It took a moment or two for Nikeisha's eyes to adjust to the blackness, but even as they did, she, with Dorna on the opposite side, moved up the corridor, her back nearly flat against the wall.

Slowly she began to make out three shadowy figures of kobolds, about half way up the hallway, standing behind a hastily erected barricade. The trio of kobolds were so intently focusing upon the hall's entrance that they didn't see the two girls sneaking up on them.

Nikeisha, too scared to creep any closer lest they see her, cast a spell. Several flaming arrows shot forth, briefly lighting the room before they plummeted into the body of a kobold, killing him. The other two stood there looking at their fallen comrade stupidly. It was during this moment of inattentiveness that Dorna made her strike.

Like a stalking cat, she made her way to the obstacle, pulling a heavy dagger from her belt, much heavier than Nikeisha's long slim dagger. She then reached over the barrier, grabbing the closest kobold and slit his throat. The third kobold, finally seeing the two girls, fled up the hallway in terror.

"See, I knew the torch was a good idea." Nikeisha said smugly after casting light upon herself, with the lack of anything else to cast it on. "Those kobolds were using the torch as a target; otherwise I might have been hit."

"Well, don't sprain your arm trying to pat yourself on the back." Dorna retorted cynically as she followed the half elf over the barricade. Nikeisha was a little crestfallen by Dorna's response but continued down the hall.

They had covered half of the remaining distance when the terrified kobold returned, but not alone. He was fleeing towards the girls with a group of skeletons chasing him. The girls moved aside to let the frighten creature pass, and then Dorna cast a spell turning the animated skeletons into nothing more than a piles of bones.

"I guess we know which way the kobolds went." Dorna stated, pointing at the open door to the right. They had reached the end on the hallway and two passages branched off, one on either side.

As they enter the side passage, Nikeisha heard a sound. She moved to the wall, almost hugging it again, as Dorna did the same to the other wall. The passageway opened into a small room like area, though the passage continued just beyond.

From where she stood, Nikeisha could only see half the room, the half towards Dorna's side, while Dorna saw the other half. She could see two columns in the room, and behind each was a kobold armed with a crossbow.

Dorna held up two fingers, indicating that she too saw two kobolds. Nikeisha returned the gesture before casting firebrand, killing the pair she had seen, while Dorna cast a spell to kill the other two.

They moved on, through the room, and not far after that, the corridor turned to the right. Just past the turn, they encountered another group of skeletons, a kobold corpse laid at their feet. Tightly clasped in the kobold's tiny fists was a shiny gem. Evidently, the skeletons had risen to prevent the taking of their treasure. Dorna cast the same spell she had used before, creating more piles of bones.

Nikeisha followed tracks in the dust, that she had noticed long before, down the hallway to the last door. She tried to open the door but it was locked.

"Who there?" A reptilian voice called from behind the door.

"Err…" Nikeisha hesitated unsure what to say to keep the kobolds calm. "Friend." She finally said.

"No. You be gnoll. Trying to trick us."

"I'm not a gnoll." Nikeisha replied offended.

"You don't sound like gnoll." The speaker paused. "Skeleton maybe."

"No. Look, just open the door and you will see that I'm not here to hurt you." Nikeisha said gently.

She could hear discussions happening inside then finally the voice replied. "You come in. Talk to Urko. No weapons, we see weapon in hand and we shoot."

"Alright." Nikeisha agreed as she and Dorna sheathed their daggers, Dorna's axe was already resting in it sling on her belt. The door open and the pair entered. The room was large and resting places, like shelves in the wall, lined the walls, each occupied by a decayed corpse.

There was perhaps a score of kobolds in the room and each had a crossbow pointed at the two. The kobold that had opened the door nodded pleased that they didn't have their weapons out.

"That be Urko there." He told them pointing at a kobold towards the rear of the room.

Nikeisha, slowly, unthreatening, approached Urko. Her skin prickled as she could sense the weapons pointed of her. "Who you be? Why you comes here?" Urko asked, trying for a brave manner but was marred by a tremor of fear in his voice.

"My name is Nikeisha. I just want to talk to you."

"We don't have anything to talk about." He stated as he peered about, frighten, at the sleeping skeletons. "You see gnolls outside?" he asked relenting.

"Only dead ones." She replied. The kobold leader looked at her untrusting. "You want to leave, don't you?" Nikeisha asked sympathetically. Urko hesitated. "I can help you leave, but you need to help me." Nikeisha bargained, taking her cue from the other kobolds she had met.

"You can?" he asked eagerly.

"But you have to help me first." Nikeisha reminded.

"How?"

"I have some question I need answered."

Urko looked around again, this time more nervous of Nikeisha's deal them the skeletons. "What questions?"

"Why does Tymofarrar want the artifacts?"

Urko was startled that Nikeisha already knew who his master was. "A stranger came and asked master to get them."

"Who?" she asked, the kobold just looked at her confused, not knowing the answer.

Nikeisha realized that theses kobolds wouldn't know much about what was really going on so she decided to get straight to the point. "Do you still have any of the artifacts?"

Urko look around yet again, this time very agitated. "Yep. This hand," he said pulling a long slender hand, wrapped it bandages that were once white but now discoloured out from a crate that was beside him, "the gnolls got one, and Deekin has a tower. Bad kobold, he runs away."

"And the fourth?"

"Don't know. Maybe kobolds that went home has it."

"I need the hand. I can't protect you if you have it." Nikeisha lied.

"Maybe you right." Urko agreed handing her the mummified hand. "The gnolls wanted objects, if we don't have, they won't attack us." Nikeisha smiled, putting the hand into her backpack.

"Well, that's all my questions. Let leave this place." She said leading the way back outside.

The kobolds hung fearfully behind Nikeisha and Dorna until they got to the solid metal gate. After Nikeisha had opened it, the kobolds, with Urko in the lead, run past the girls and scrambled out through the hole to the doubtless safety outside, desperate to leave this grave.

The gate slammed behind them again, making everyone jump, but the clang wasn't the sound of doom this time but of freedom.

The kobolds were streaming off towards the north by the time the girls crawled out of the crypt, picking up a few more rips in their clothes, obvious the kobolds felt that without any gnolls about they could make it back without Nikeisha's help.

The moon was now high and dark clouds race across the sky before the stiff chill wind, which had grow stronger while they had been in the crypt. As Nikeisha stood there taking in the beauty of the quarter moon, her backpack began to shake.

She jumped with a start, freaked out by this movement. She took her pack off, throwing to the ground as Dorna looked on curiously. The bag continued to quiver and the pair slowly approached it. Nikeisha quickly undid the buckle then, using her dagger, she lifted the flap.

Inside the mummified hand was moving about, as if it was trying to point in several directions at once. Suddenly the palm opened up and made a lunge at Nikeisha's face. She rapidly let the flap fall back down and buckled it tighter than she normally did.

"Let's take this back to Ayala." Nikeisha decided, picking the pack up and holding it at arms distance.

The air blurred as Nikeisha used her ring to draw her back to Drogan's home. When the air cleared, Nikeisha didn't find herself in Drogan's room by his side as she had expected, but instead they were in the common room at Ayala's side.

"My, that's a startling experience." Ayala noted looking at the two young women that had just materialized beside her. Ayala was sitting in one of the arm chairs by the fire and Xanos was in the other, but Mischa wasn't in sight. "Wish there was a way to warn people first." She mused.

"None that Xanos knows." He replied though his input wasn't needed.

"I changed the connection with the rings so that you will come to me, so we aren't disturbing Drogan." The elf explained seeing the puzzle look on the girls' faces. "I also worked a way that I can transport you back to where you last used your ring." Nikeisha smiled, thinking of how she won't have to walk all the way back to the foothills.

"One wonders why Nikeisha is holding her backpack out like that." Xanos noted. At some point during the transportation, the hand had gone still and, with the surprise of not being beside Drogan, Nikeisha had forgotten about it.

"I found one of the artifacts." She announced, setting the bag on the floor. "A kobold named Deekin has another, but wont give it to me unless I help him." She continued as she pulled the hand out, holding it by the wrist with a thumb and forefinger.

Again, the thing came alive. It fell out of Nikeisha's insecure grip and landed on the floor. It leaped towards her, but she sprung to her feet jumping back from it. It then crawled across the wooden floorboards, using its fingers like legs, headed for Xanos.

He climbed backwards in his chair, pushing it over and falling in an un-ceremonial heap behind it. "What's it doing?" Xanos demanded peering over the couch.

The hand had stopped its approach and was spinning on the floor, pausing briefly each time it reached three certain directions; one being easterly, another northerly and the last to the south.

"I believe its trying to point the direction to the other artifacts." Ayala said. "I remember now, Drogan telling me that it had grown a great affinity to the other object, drawn to their power most likely, and it would know where an item was if that artifact was taken away from it." She calmly walked over to the rotating hand and picked it up. "Oh, stop that." She chimed as the vindictive thing tried to grab her. "You could use this to aid your search, Nikeisha."

"Ah no, it's fine." Nikeisha said shying away from the notion of keeping the mummified thing. "I have a general idea who has two of the artifacts and I know Deekin has the third. I'll be alright without it."

"Perhaps that's best," Ayala noted as she place the hand in a chest that was near the couches, locking it tight. "It is a little bit malicious." She looked more closely at the pair, noticing their soiled clothing. "Is any of that blood yours?" she asked concerned.

"Some might be," Nikeisha shrugged, "but most of it isn't."

"I can heal you, if you need it."

"We're fine, just a few nicks, and scratches." Dorna told the elf. "What I really need is some food."

"What? Did little Nikeisha forgot to take food?" Xanos taunted smugly.

"No," Dorna replied sourly, "She just doesn't stop so we can eat."

Ayala quickly whipped up some hot food for the girls, and that ate hastily, settling their grumbling bellies. During their meal, Nikeisha and Dorna decided that a few hours sleep in warm, comfortable beds would do them good. After she had finished eating Nikeisha opted for a bath before bed, there was no way she was going to crawl beneath her blankets with the filth that was covering her.

"The water is cold." Xanos warned her as she entered the bathing room, but that didn't concern her. As soon as the door was shut she disrobed, and carefully cast a fire spell upon the frigid waters.

The water sizzled slightly as the fire touched it, and Nikeisha used a face wash to stir the water before she jumped in, soaking in the bath for a time. When she had finished, she dressed in her sleepwear and retired to her room, but was unable to sleep.

Once alone, the thoughts about the letter Ashuador had given Drogan began bothering her again. _Why did Ashuador have the letter? Was he in the Harpers? Who exactly are the Harpers? And what danger is he in?_ These thoughts were almost driving her crazy. She didn't know the answers but she knew who probably did.

Giving up on the futile effort to sleep, Nikeisha went into Drogan's room to see how he was. Ayala was there, sitting in a chair beside him, but no one else.

"Xanos fell asleep on the arm chair downstairs, and I sent Mischa to bed." Ayala told Nikeisha, seeing her looking about for the others.

She nodded, "How is he?" she asked taking a seat in a second chair.

"Better. He slides in and out of consciousness, but he is on the mend." Ayala looked shrewdly at the young half elf. "What's bothering you?"

"See, there's this guy who is my best friend and he came here last spring with a letter from the harpers."

"Ah, yes Ashuador. I gave him that letter, letting Drogan know about the weird activities of the creatures north of Port Llast. He said he was heading this way, so I thought he would do well as a messenger, though he is a little unreliable, and much of a charmer." Ayala smiled at Nikeisha. "You seem relieved, were you worried that Ashuador had become a meddling, spying assassin?"

"No!" Nikeisha exclaimed, startled by Ayala's interpretation.

"It's alright, that's just simply how people usually view us, there's probably more truth in that than they realize though." Ayala paused before continuing. "Ever consider becoming a Harper?" she asked though she didn't sound serious about it.

"Um, no, I don't think it's for me."

"Didn't think so either. We keep hoping that one of Drogan's students will join. One day maybe."

They continued to talk for some time, about nothing in particular, until Nikeisha found herself in the land of dreams.


	10. Kobolds' Kave

Nikeisha awoke with a start, as dreams of the past haunted her sleep. She was curled up in the arm chair beside Drogan's bed that she had been sitting in the night before; a blanket had been draped over her though.

The room was lit by a candle, burnt down to a stub and it was pitched black outside of the window, though morning didn't smell far off.

From the flicking light, Nikeisha could see that Ayala wasn't in the room. She didn't know where Ayala was and she didn't know what to make of the stranger, but she hadn't done any harm, in fact quite the opposite, so there was no reason to think that her disappearance was in anyway to cause damage.

She headed downstairs to find Xanos snoring in the arm chair by the heath, the fire burning cheerfully. There were sounds of someone preparing the morning meal coming from the kitchen and the smells were delicious.

Nikeisha entered the room to find Ayala slaving over the stove. "You're up early." She noted as she began to put rashes of bacon and eggs on a large plate.

"Couldn't sleep." Nikeisha replied curtly.

Ayala looked more closely at Nikeisha's haggard face, understanding. "Don't let nightmares bother you dear, they are only dreams, they aren't real."

"I wish you were right." She replied before thinking.

"What makes you think that they are anything but dreams?"

"Nothing Ayala," Nikeisha answered quickly, "just the dreams making me a little melancholy."

"Well don't let them get you down." She said with a smile, "Why don't you go and wake the others." She suggested taking the plate over to the dinning room and waking Xanos up with the smell of the food alone.

Nikeisha went back up stair, getting Dorna and Mischa up for breakfast and then getting dressed in the same clothes as she wore the day before. To be sure the clothes were dirty, ruin with blood, but to put on clean clothes could mean that they too would be ruin with blood and Nikeisha simple couldn't afford to buy new clothes all the time

After their hearty feed, Ayala transported Nikeisha and her dwarven friend back to the spot in front on the crypt. The sky to the east had began to lighten as the sun made his way over the horizon, much of which was obscured by clouds that had spat light snow during the night, adding to the already snow.

A little way to the north from the light patch in the sky was a larger, more ominous cloud, only just visible on the horizon; a cloud that clearly stated that a blizzard was on its way.

Nikeisha did her best to ignore the cloud as they trekked northward towards the mountains, but all the while she cursed silently in the colourful words that men feel that females should not know, let alone use.

The sun was completely up, although it was hard for one to know this except for the lighting of the cloud cover, when the two young adventurers reached an isolated farmstead.

A male dwarf was outside tending to the farm chores, his skin unusually dark. He was fierce looking, with piercing black eyes, a beard and thick moustache, like all male dwarves, and several scars across his face.

"Duergar." Dorna hissed, identified his race.

Nikeisha nodded, walking over to the fence that surrounded the farmyard. "Had some problems with the kobolds." Nikeisha called over to him, pointing meaningfully at a body of a kobold lying just beyond the farm's gates with her foot.

The duergar scowled menacingly at her, "And just who might you be?" he called back to her suspiciously.

"Nikeisha," she answered, feeling intimidated by this fierce man, "student of Drogan's." she added, hoping his teacher's name would carry some weight.

He smiled at Drogan's name "Ah, you keep excellent company there," he noted friendlier. "I be Nathan Hurst." He squinted at her, "You shouldn't just bandy your name around like that; never know who be friend and who ain't."

"I'll keep that in mind." Nikeisha said, "So did the kobolds give you much trouble?"

"Nah, the wee scaly folk rarely cause me much trouble. Try to steal a cow occasionally is about all." He indicated to the dead one. "That one was left behind from a group coming from the south about sunset; must have tried a raid." He sighed, "Nah, me only problem is that while I was distracted by the kobolds, the dim-witted ogre that lives to the west made off with me daughter Becka, saying something about her going to be his wife. Now me daughter is fully grown and I'm sure she'll be marrying soon, but I have something to say about having an ogre as a son-in-law."

"Why haven't you done anything about it yet, then?" Dorna asked.

"Well now, me wife is with child and the babe can come at any time now. But the moment the babe comes I'm going to let that oaf know what I think of his proposal."

"Where did you say this ogre was?" Nikeisha asked innocently.

"Good on you lass." Nathan congratulated her, realizing what she was thinking. "Just follow that cliff there til the end." He instructed, pointing towards a cliff that run to the west. "His cave is somewhere there, at the end."

It only took them about a quarter of an hour before they reached the point when the cliff they were on stop with a shear drop. They easily found the cave and entered silently.

Before they even enter they could hear the loud snoring of the sleeping ogre, and from the sound alone they were able to locate him in the back corner. A small cooking fire burned unattended near the front of the cave, casting light through the cavern.

"Psst. Over here." A girl's voice called to them quietly.

Nikeisha turned towards the source of the sound to view a crudely barred off section of the cave. Metal bars had been forcefully wedged between the ceiling and floor. She could not even begin to fathom the amount of strength it would have taken for the ogre to create his prison, or how he got the metal poles.

Behind the bars stood a dwarven girl. Her skin was not as dark as her father's, revealing that her mother wasn't a duergar, but her eyes were just as black and piercing. As quiet as possible they approached the girl.

"The stupid oaf drank himself stupid last night." She told them. "He dropped the key on that mat he is lying on, near his head."

Dorna moved quietly towards the ogre. As she picked the key up the ogre stirred, muttering in his sleep. They all held their breath, and Nikeisha grabbed her dagger, fearfully that he would wake up but he didn't awaken.

Dorna made her way back to the cage and inserted the key into a wooden door that stood in the near center to the prison, and look surprisingly like a front door of a villager's house. The lock click audibly as the key was turned, and then the door swung open. Becka ran out of her cell, and out of the cave, with Dorna and Nikeisha right on her heels.

Suddenly they heard a roar from inside the cave as the ogre awoke to find Becka missing. "Run!" Nikeisha instructed the girl as she and Dorna moved in front of the cave to block his pursuit.

He looked bewildered, as he came out of his cave to be confronted by the two girls, even as he saw his bride fleeing from him.

"You stole me wifey." The ogre accused them, banishing a spike imbedded wooden club.

Nikeisha nimbly moved in, making the first attack. She slit him neatly across the back of his hand, but his thick skin repelled most of the strike, leaving the wound no worst then a paper cut.

She looked hesitantly at the creature. Their weapons weren't going to be much use, and Nikeisha doubted that spells would help either. This was going to be a difficult fight.

"You cut me." He howled in pain, as if the wound had been more severe. "Me don't think me want a wifey that have creatures that will cut me." Then strangely, he ran back inside, babbling like a baby.

Nikeisha felt somewhat ashamed of herself as they headed back to Hurst's farm to ensure that Becka had returned safely. The guilt evaporated however when Nikeisha spied some fresh stag prints when they were about half way to the farm. The white Hart was somewhere close by.

After receiving a small reward from Nathan Hurst, the two girls headed north into the Nether Mountains. The snow that had fallen the previous night didn't completely hide the kobolds' foot prints, but it did make them hard to see. However, a few more kobolds had died from the wounds they had received and the bodies were quite easy to spot.

It was mid morning when the trail led down into a valley and into a cave, which was half way up the valley's wall. Nikeisha enter the cave with relief; although the grotto they had entered was cool, it was far warmer than outside. The wind that had all but abated down in the foothills was stronger and rawer in the mountains, and her skin, contradictory, burned from the cold as the wind had bit into her flesh.

Nikeisha looked sharply to her right as she heard scurrying. In the dim light of the cave, she saw several kobolds moving down the only passageway that led off from the entrance cavern, staying close to the walls. She cast light upon her dagger, holding it out like a torch and moved in pursuit, but just before she entered the passage, Dorna pulled Nikeisha to a halt, pointing at a trap that she hadn't seen. Dorna quickly disabled the trap and they proceeded more cautious.

As they moved along the twisting passageway they encountered more traps, that Dorna, again, also quickly disabled. Briefly, the passage passed through a small cavern where several kobolds emerged from dead ended side passages to ambush the girls.

The girls fought them off but not before Nikeisha received a deep cut in her thigh. Dorna heal her, though it ached for a while causing her to limp as they continued along another twisting tunnel. Again, there were traps, but also kobolds waited around corners to attack them.

They emerged into yet another cave, this one so large that Nikeisha's light barely reached the walls. In the center was of the room was a chest. The very scene was suspicious but Dorna walked to it like a moth to a flame.

"No Dorna!" Nikeisha cried out running after her friend, but even as she got to her side to stop her, Dorna lifted the lid of the chest.

A cage dropped down from above trapping them within, and dozens of kobolds appear from side chambers, encircling them with weapons drawn.

"Sorry," Dorna apologized sheepishly. "Do we fight them?" she asked looking about at their captors.

"Don't be silly." Nikeisha scoffed, also looking at the kobolds. There was too many for them to physically fight, even if they could get out of the cage, and too close for them to use spells safely.

"You be stupid." One of the captors chortled. "We take you to Chief." He gave a curt signal and the cage rose, but even as it raised the kobolds waved their weapons at the girls menacingly.

There captors led them through a wider tunnel and into a bigger cavern that was used as their main living area. There was dozens upon dozens of kobolds in there, all staying fearfully away from the two intrepid adventurers.

They enter another passage that opened into a cavernous room. In the center on the room was a mound of rocks. On top of the pile stood a kobold and around the base there were a few other kobolds. Startle, Nikeisha recognized Urko in amongst the kobolds.

"There chief." Urko said to the kobold atop of the mound. "There be elven that saved us from the crypt." He continued pointing at Nikeisha.

"No that be the human that saved us from the other humans." A second kobold, the leader of the kobold that had held Mara hostage, disagreed.

"She elven." Urko challenged

"Human." The second kobold replied stubbornly.

"Would it settle the argument if I told you that I'm half of each?" Nikeisha gently asked the arguing pair.

"You be quiet." The chief told Nikeisha. "Me be chief. Me ask the questions. You saves both them kobolds?" Nikeisha nodded. "Me guess you be friend, yip. Why you came in own cave?"

"To see Tymofarrar."

"That impossible!"

"Why?" Nikeisha asked, her heart sinking, fearing that the dragon had taken off somewhere.

"Me put Master Jumper in prison and the other wont listen to me to move the big rock."

"Master Jumper? Big rock?"

"Yip. You hard of hearing? Master Jumper be the one that let visitor to see the Big Master." He explained as if he was talking to someone with a lower intelligence than him; an earthworm maybe. "He tell the jumpers to jump on the platform and platform goes down and big rock goes up. Jumpers will only listen to Master Jumper"

"So," Nikeisha said trying to keep a hold of her patience, at the same time hiding the knowledge that she was aware that the kobolds that had captured them had left. "Get the Master Jumper out of the prison and tell him to let us go down."

"Grr, he in prison 'cause he told me no." the chief said stamping his foot like a child.

"What if I can work a deal between you and the Master Jumper?" she suggested.

"Grr, you mean you arbiters… arbicates… you helps make peace?" He asked hopefully, motioning for someone to get the Master Jumper.

The moment the Master Jumper was escorted into the cave things went down hill rapidly as he announced, quite spitefully to the chief, that he still wasn't going to let him go down to see Tymofarrar.

"Me chief. You do as me says." The chief replied with another stamp of his foot. From there the conversation downgraded to "am not" "are too" as Nikeisha vainly tried to get their attention.

Bored with the bickering and Nikeisha's fail attempts to shout over them, while they only got louder, Dorna raised her fingers to her lips and blew a deafening whistle. The speech stopped as all eyes turned to look at her.

"Thanks awfully." Nikeisha said snidely, rubbing her ears. "Now if I'm going to arbitrate," she said, addressed the kobolds, "you both must agree to compromise."

"That be word me wanted." The chief muttered to himself.

"Me agrees, as long as me no get eaten." The Master Jumper said.

"Me chief, me should see Big Master when me wants." He protested.

"If me lets you see Big Master too much, Big Master will eat me." The Master Jumper retorted. Nikeisha rolled her eyes skyward, she felt like she was dealing with a pair of children.

"Big Master eats me too, if I see him too much."

"Maybe a good thing." The Master Jumper suggested slyly. Nikeisha and Dorna both snickered at the comment.

"Me chief! You respect me!"

"Sorry." The Master Jumper apologized half heartedly.

"How about the chief can see Big Master only once a month?" Nikeisha suggested seeing that they wouldn't, or couldn't, come to that conclusion on their own.

"Sound good to me." The chief agreed.

"Me wants something as well." The Master Jumper objected.

"How about me give you a wife?" The chief suggested. Nikeisha started at the two kobolds, not believing her ears.

"Your sister?" The Master Jumper suggested in response.

"Yep. Get her out of me cave."

"Alright." The Master Jumper finally agreed.

The chief looked speculatively at Nikeisha. "You want me to set you up with me cousin?" he asked her.

"You're kidding!" she replied to the kobold in surprise.

"No, me no kid 'bout me ugly cousin."

Nikeisha followed the Master Jumper from the cave without saying another word. The Master Jumper led them back to the main cavern and down another passage, where a large rock that blocked any further progress.

High in the air in front of the rock was a platform, and a ramp, constructed of rubble lend to the platform, stopping a few feet short. Several kobolds stood at the base of the ramp and, with a curt signal from the Master Jumper, they began to run up the ramp, one at a time, then jump across to the platform. As the kobolds landed on the platform, each adding their weight to it, it began to lower and, at the same time, the huge rock raised up.

"Now there was an interesting proposal back there," Dorna whisper to Nikeisha with a chuckle.

"Not one word," Nikeisha threatened her friend as her ears began to redden. "Don't speak one word of it to the others." Dorna only laughed harder.

When the kobolds had finished there jumping, the rock hung precariously in the air. The gap was only high enough to let a kobold walk through, making the pair crawl beneath it to get to the other side.

"You be careful down there. Big Master might be hungry." The Master Jumper warned.

"Thanks." Nikeisha replied dryly as she moved through the tunnel with apprehension.

The tunnel descended downward, getting more icy cold with each step. By the time the passageway leveled out, icicles hung from the ceiling. They continued along until the passage opened up into a huge grotto. Within the cavern was a large white dragon that looked kind of porky to Nikeisha.

The dragon was lying on his stomach but as the girls entered, he rolled onto his side. "I've been a bad dragon," he moaned, "spare me a few moments to confess my sins before you kill me."

"We're not here to kill you, Tymofarrar." Nikeisha told him.

"You're not?" he asked in surprised, sitting up and taking a good look at them for the first time. "Well then. What do we have here?"

"We just want to talk."

"Do you just?" he said absently, "hmm, interesting. You appear to be human, but do I detect something else?" he snorted at Nikeisha blowing the hair that framed her face. She was forever thankful that only air came out of the dragon's nostrils. "Ah, elven ears, peculiar mix that usually only happens in my belly." Then he looked over at Dorna. "And a beardless dwarven woman. Tell me, how are your people? Have they all managed to dig their way out of the earth yet?" then he laughed at his own joke.

"We are not here to play your games dragon." Dorna told him bluntly.

"Oh pity, I enjoy being amused and kobolds are too stupid to be amusing for long."

"So you stole the artifacts on the instructions of someone else?" Nikeisha announced quite causally, hoping to catch the dragon off guard. "Didn't think it was in a dragon's nature to do the bidding of others?"

"J'Nah!" he growled. "It was she who enticed me into steeling the artifacts, and then she double crossed me. The elven witch." He cursed.

"Why? What was she to get out of it?"

"For the information of the location of the artifacts, and her assistance, she wanted just one of them, a statue of a tower, and I could have the rest. But when I was having my kobolds bring all the objects to me, she had her gnolls attack them and all I got was a mask that is useless to me!"

"Sounds like it was you who was doing the betraying first." Nikeisha noted smugly.

"Well, yes," he admitted, "but I was only curious on why she wanted the tower. I would have given it to her – eventually, if it was worthless." Tymofarrar sighed. "Of course she has betrayed me and I must do something about that, I have a reputation you understand," he mused, "but I rather not risk a confrontation with her." he looked at Nikeisha with deceived blandness. "Say, why don't you deal with J'Nah for me? Hmm?"

"And if refuse?"

"Well I will eat you naturally." He replied without a hint of malice.

"Very well. But what do I get in return?"

"I'll think of a suitable reward while you are gone. The mask perhaps?" he suggested lightly. "Ah, let me show you the way out." He waved one of his forearms and one wall vanished, revealing a large opening that led outside. "Now the gnolls have a cave in…"

"I know where it is." Nikeisha replied shortly. "Before I go, I want Deekin to be freed from your services." Nikeisha asked hoping that if she got him released now she could get the statue and find out what the fuss was about.

"We can talk about that after you return, perhaps that can be your reward." Tymofarrar said. "When you return just knock loudly on the square shape rock three times and I'll let you back in."

Nikeisha and Dorna left the cave and the entrance vanished to look like part of the rock face. They were at the bottom of the valley, and a gale blew around them, whipping at their cloaks. The dark cloud that Nikeisha had seen that morning was just about upon them though it was yet to spit any snow.

Nikeisha moved to the leeward side of the rock Tymofarrar had indicated and took out some food that they could eat while still on the move. Her tummy was definitely telling her that it was pass lunch time.

"Why not just go straight back to Drogan's?" Dorna asked hopefully as Nikeisha handed her some food.

"Ayala would only be able transport us back to this point." Nikeisha explained. "We still have some time before the storm breaks, let's get as far as we can to High Forest now, so we don't have to walk so far later."

"Makes sense I guess." Dorna reluctantly agreed.

They moved as quickly as they could out of the mountains, the pace faster than it had been going up. By the time, they returned to the foothills it had started to spit snow, gently at first.

As they moved out into the foothills, Nikeisha heard a strange noise ahead of them. She moved towards the sound, and as she rounded a corner, she came face to face with the legendary Shadow Hart.

It snorted nervously, looking about to escaped, but was trapped on the edge of the cliff. It pawed the snow with his front hoof as Nikeisha slowly advanced upon him, her hand stretched out to touch him.

"Be calm." She told it, as she touched the velvety nose, tears glistering in her eyes. The creature looked at her, amazed by the tears. "I need some of your horn to save the life of this woman." She explained to the stag, not expecting it to understand. "But I can not kill such a beautiful and unique animal as you."

The Shadow Hart continued to look at her with his liquidly brown eyes, then amazingly it lower his head, offer the horns to Nikeisha, and strangely a thought came to Nikeisha that she was sure originated from the gentle creature. _If she was to cut off just some of the horn, then the creature could live and Ferran's wife could have her cure_.

Nikeisha quickly pulled out her dagger, noting that her hands trembled, and sawed off about two inches from one of the Shadow Hart's prongs, receiving a long cut in her palm in the process. Once Nikeisha had the horn, the creature ran off pass them and then disappeared.

Nikeisha wiped the tears away and Dorna wordlessly heal her hand, then they continued their journey, taking the horn back to Ferran.

Ferran had moved to the lee side of the crypt, trying to get as much shelter as he could. The snow was spitting hard now and one could barely see two feet in front of them. The wind howled trying to whip away anything that wasn't tied down.

"What are you doing still out here?" Ferran called to Nikeisha as she approached his camp.

"I have a gift for you." She yelled over the top of the wind, handing him the horn.

His hands shook as he took it from her. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked starting at it in wonder. Nikeisha nodded, though he probably didn't see it. "Thank you so much." He said with gratitude. "Please take these as a thank you." He said, giving her some gold. "I must return to my wife."

"You aren't going anywhere," Nikeisha told him bluntly, "Not in this blizzard." But even as she gave the command, she realized that he couldn't stay out in the open either.

"But…" he protest.

"Give me your hand." She instructed.

Nikeisha reasoned that if her ring could transport her and her backpack, with everything it had in it, then if she was holding Ferran's hand it should transport him too. At least she hoped. She would hate to find that all it transported was his hand.

Nikeisha took Ferran hand as well as Dorna's, signaling for Dorna to take his other hand, then they both used their rings to take them all to the security of Drogan's home.


	11. Gnolls of the Past

They arrived in the kitchen as Ayala was preparing the evening meal. The room was rather crowded with the four of them in there and Ferran's eyes were wild as he looked about.

"What happen! Where am I?" Ferran asked, his voice tinged with panic, after all, Nikeisha never explained what she was doing.

"It's alright, Ferran," Nikeisha assured the elf, "We were transported to Drogan's home; to Hilltop." Ayala was looking over at the three, her eyebrow arched questioningly. "This is Ferran Valiantheart. He was in the foothills, searching for ingredients for a cure for his wife. We couldn't leave him out there in this storm." She explained.

Suddenly the room seemed to shrink as Xanos burst in with weapon drawn, having heard the unfamiliar voice of Ferran. The elf reacted instantly from fear, un-slinging his bow from over his shoulder and setting an arrow to the string, its tip pointed at Xanos' heart.

"It's alright," Nikeisha told the two men, placing herself between them, conscious of the arrow now aimed at her.

"What's this Nikeisha?" Xanos taunted as they both lowered their weapons, "You now bringing boyfriends home?"

She scowled at the half orc before replying. "He is just a friend, Xanos."

"Why bring him here then?"

"Have you not looked outside lately?" Nikeisha asked in mocking surprised indicating to the window. "We couldn't leave him out there in that storm; he would have frozen to death."

"Or gotten buried beneath six feet of snow." Dorna added.

"Well, I'm glad that we all now know where we are and that we are all friends," Ayala said in a sugary voice, cutting in before anything else could be said, "Now will you all get out of here so I can get dinner ready." She ordered, startling Nikeisha with her note of command.

As they all trooped out into the common room, they could hear Ayala placing pots on the stove. Nikeisha stood near the heath looking at Xanos, just waiting for him to say another thing along the lines of boyfriends. Xanos glared back, preparing to say just such a remark.

Mischa came down from the upper level and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, glancing from Nikeisha to Xanos, feeling the tension in the air. Dorna and Ferran also looked on, Ferran fidgeting uncomfortably as if he was guilty of something. However, before Xanos could deliver any witty remarks, or Nikeisha any retorts, Ayala entered the room, her mere present stalling all tongues in their tracks.

"Did you have any more luck?" the elven woman asked hopefully

"Well," Nikeisha began vaguely, "I know the location of the mask." She continued hesitantly, questioning her own wisdom on bargaining with a dragon. Tymofarrar had already proven that his word couldn't be trusted, though he had given her little choice.

Xanos laughed scornfully at Nikeisha, "Your test is to retrieve the artifacts, not just find their locations." He told her, "If the test is too much for you, perhaps Xanos should do it instead." Nikeisha stuck her tongue out at him in response.

Ayala shook her head, dismayed by their bickering, and returned to her cooking without any further words to either of them. Nikeisha sat down upon the floor exhausted, facing the fire, her back leaning against one of the armchairs, while the other students went to various locations about the house. Ferran stayed in the common room, pacing back and forwards, the sound of his steps grating on Nikeisha's nerves.

"Will you stay still?" Nikeisha asked irritably.

"I can't." He replied bitterly. "I have all of what I need and I still can't give it to my wife."

"Do you know how to make the cure?"

"Well, yes."

"There's the kitchen," she said pointing, "use it." Ferran hesitated, startled by her bossy manner. "You do have all the ingredients on you?" Nikeisha asked curiously, as she realized that in all the rush Ferran had only brought with him the bow and arrows he always had slung over his shoulder.

"Yes." He replied patting a pouch that hung from his belt.

"Well, it's something to do while you wait for the storm to lift. All potion stuff is in the first cupboard."

Ferran walked into the kitchen petulantly, getting himself a mortar and pestle and beginning to grind the horn into a powder. From where she sat, Nikeisha could see Ayala cutting vegetables for the broth she was preparing beside Ferran. The scene reminded Nikeisha of how Ashuador's parents always prepared the evening meal together.

As Nikeisha stared through the doorway at Ferran, remembering the happy times of her past, Xanos returned to the room. He watched Nikeisha for some time with an insidious smile on his face before speaking to her.

"Did I hear something about him being married?" Xanos asked slyly, "Tsk, tsk, Nikeisha. Such poor taste to be dating another woman's man."

"And I'm sure you would know all about that." She replied insultingly, trying to ignore him as the words struck a sore spot in her heart.

He laughed her words off, "No use watching him, Nikeisha, he is already taken." He continued to dig.

"You are assuming that I even would want him!" She yelled at Xanos, standing up and facing him. "Why would I want anyone? You are all the same! The whole male populations are nothing but pigs!" And with those words, she fled to her room, Xanos, and the others who had came to see what was happening, looked at her fleeing form with an amazed expression.

She sat on the floor of her room, her back against the door and a book in hand. She didn't see the words of the book as tears misted her eyes. She was startled by how much Xanos' words had hurt.

It was strange how after all these years, after what he had done, that his betrayal still heard her so much. His name was William Synderman and she had been in love with him. She was honest enough with herself to know it wasn't true love; she liked him a lot though.

William was handsome, had a good job and a good place within the community. He and Nikeisha had been together for some months and, in her own mind, she was starting to plan their wedding; just waiting for him to propose.

Then came the day when she found him in bed with a naked woman in his arms, and he was in the same unclad state.

The woman was new to the village, being from a city, saying she was seeking a quieter life. Nikeisha's female friends all said bad stuff about the woman after the affair came to light, but the woman wasn't the only one to blame.

Nikeisha now knew that William was only using her. Whenever they were alone, he would try to coax her into bed with him, but she would refuse, wanting to wait for marriage. The truth was that she wasn't really sure she was ready to take the relationship to that level, though she would let him touch her, to fondle her.

The thought of how she let him touch her still made Nikeisha fell dirty, disgusted with herself. Ashuador had wanted to kill him when he found out what had happen. Ash had been away at Drogan's when it was discovered. Nikeisha may have wanted to as well, or may not, she no longer remembered, but she did recall breaking William's nose with her fist when he tried to tell her it wasn't what she thought it was.

Ashuador had been wrong last spring when he stated that she wanted to marry and have children. That may have been true in the past, and perhaps she still desired to have children, but after what William had done to her, she wanted nothing to do with the male population, except maybe wrap them around her little pinky then break their hearts.

But William, like her mother, was no more. Just ghost of the past, memories of a life very different from the one she has now, or perhaps not quite as different as she would believe. Her whole life seemed like a preparation to being an adventurer; the one thing she never wanted to be, and the reasons behind that refusal were futile in the end anyway.

Nikeisha parents had both been adventurers, until the ill-fated quest that saw her father die before she was born. Even though, her mother still longed to return to adventuring and tried to teach Nikeisha in the hopes that they could journey together. She resisted her mother's teachings, somewhat, scared that she would lose her mother too.

Nikeisha awoke with a start, hearing someone outside of the room. She was surprised to find that she had fallen asleep on the floor, but a brief look out of the windows told her that she hadn't slept for more than a quarter of an hour; it was dark outside from the blizzard there was light enough to let it be known that the sun hadn't quite seek his bed yet.

Then the knock Nikeisha had been expecting came. She heard Mischa's voice through the door, "Nikeisha," she called, "Ayala says dinner is ready."

"Alright." Nikeisha called back, standing up quickly and wiping at her face to remove any evidence that she had been crying before leaving her room.

Mischa had entered Drogan's room carrying a tray with Drogan's dinner, when Nikeisha emerged from her own room. As she walked towards the stairs Nikeisha could heard Drogan's reaction to what he had been served.

"This watery stuff isn't food! I want real food!" he complained.

Nikeisha could hear sounds of Drogan getting out of bed, "Master Drogan," Mischa protested, "Where are you going? Ayala says-"

"I don't care what that elven woman says!" he admonished. "You two have cooped me up all day! I'm going to get me some real food!"

Nikeisha smiled to herself, pleased to hear Drogan's strong voice, thankful that he sounded like he was fully recovered. She slowed down, waiting for him to catch up to her.

"Well me girl," he greeted Nikeisha when he caught up to her at the top of the stairs. "I must say your voice, when you are angry, is so loud that you quite probably wake the dead with it."

"Luckily there is no dead around here then," Nikeisha replied. Drogan laughed, and she could see a little twinkle in his eye.

"Let's get some dinner," he said inhaling the air, "what Ayala is serving the rest smells good."

Together they went down the stairs with Mischa muttering to herself that Drogan should be in bed. Nikeisha knew that the blonde haired girl was probably right, but she realized that it would be futile to tell their teacher that.

It was a little cramped around the dining table but they all managed fine. The food Ayala had prepared was scrumptious, and with Drogan seeming fine everyone's spirits was up, making the time together lighthearted and happy. They were, however, a few veiled, questioning, and concerned, looks in Nikeisha's direction, but far more were in Drogan's.

Nikeisha didn't linger after she had finished eating. She headed, after dinner, for a relaxing bath and then off to bed. Dorna, just as tired as Nikeisha, also headed to bed soon after her dinner was finished.

The red head awoke from a deep dreamless sleep a few hours later to someone tapping on her door. She covered her head with the blanket hoping that whoever it was would go away.

"Nikeisha," Ferran called through the timbers of her door, "are you awake?"

"Well I am now." She muttered to herself as she pulled on a robe. She opened the door to see the hesitant elf standing outside, fingering one of his arrows "What." She asked flatly, speaking in the hush tones of midnight, wondering why people couldn't let her sleep.

"Well, the storm has let up." The elf explained uncertainly. "I was hoping you could teleport me to where was camp was. I'll like to get back to my wife as soon as possible and there's all the equipment I left."

"I'm sorry Ferran," Nikeisha apologized sincerely, "I was rushing so much, I didn't even think of your belongings. I hope there wasn't anything valuable left."

"Only the cure and my bow are of any value to me. Still I rather not have to replace the items I left, if I can avoid it."

Nikeisha nodded understandingly. "Go wake Dorna." She instructed. "She and I might as well get moving too. We have a long walk ahead of us."

Ferran nodded and moved down the hall to Dorna's door, while Nikeisha closed hers and got dressed in her blood-smeared outfit. She quickly brushed her shoulder length blood red hair, leaving it out as she normally did.

Dorna and Ferran were waiting for her in the hall. Dorna tapped her foot impatiently, and Ferran paced the floor, his steps seeming loud to Nikeisha from the silence of the night.

"You take too long to get ready," Dorna complained sourly, "who you trying to impress? The gnolls?" she asked grumpily, Nikeisha suddenly remembered that she wasn't the only one that liked her sleep.

"Why would I need to impress anyone when no one can resist my charms?" Nikeisha asked playfully. "Come on, let's get Ayala to teleport us, and get started. The quicker we deal with the gnolls and their mistress, the quicker we can get this over with." Ferran looked at the two girls in astonishment, startled by their plan, but said nothing.

They trooped into the spare bedroom, where Ayala was sleeping. As Nikeisha expected, Ayala's eyes flicked open the moment they entered.

"What's wrong? The elven woman asked, sitting up and yawning.

"Nothing." Nikeisha replied. "The storm is over so we thought to get going now."

"Oh, alright. Give me a moment and I'll teleport you."

-------------------------------------

It was still snowing in the foot hills when Ayala returned them there, a light, sodden snow that seem to be on the verge of being rain. The wind had abated and on the eastern horizon, a star shone briefly through a tattered cloud.

Nikeisha cast a light spell upon an object she pulled from her pouch. She looked curiously at the object, a wooden rod of some kind. The rod had been from Drogan, giving to her after the completion of her previous test. The test had involved illusions of Drogan's casting various spells at Nikeisha, all she had to do to stop the spell was identify and counter each before it was completed.

They all glanced about looking for Ferran's equipment, but none was in sight. Suddenly Ferran spotted something sticking out of the snow, where he had left his items. He went over, digging the object out to reveal one of his belongings.

They all sighed, looking at the snowdrift that lay against the buried crypt, realizing that Ferran's equipment lay beneath it. It took them about half of an hour to find all of the elf's stuff, and pack them into his knapsack. Then they moved on to the High Forest.

Nikeisha lead the way confidently, while Dorna followed along unenthusiastically, looking sourly at the trees. Ferran walked beside Nikeisha, becoming more anxious the deeper they went.

Ferran stopped, looking about, when they were about halfway to the gnolls' cave. "My village is off that way." He said, pointing to the east. "If you want, you can come with me, it isn't far, and then I can show you the way to the gnolls after my wife gets the cure."

"It's alright," Nikeisha said, declining the offer, "I know the way."

"You seem to know this forest well."

"I grew up here." She replied simply.

"In an elven village?" Ferran assumed, knowing that mainly elves lived there.

"No, a human one."

"The only human village I know of was destroyed some years-" he paused as he saw the faint flicker of pain cross her face. "I'm sorry." He said gently, touching her lightly on the shoulder, before he left, disappearing into the trees with a small wave.

Dorna looked at Nikeisha with an eyebrow raised questioningly. The red head refuse to meet the dwarf's look, moving on in the trees instead, forcing Dorna to follow, lest she be left lost in the woods.

-------------------------------------

The snow had turned to a soft drizzle as they descended into a valley and the dark opening that Nikeisha knew awaited them there. Water, some rain some melted snow, dripped from the leaves of trees with a musically note, mixing with a sodden thud of snow sliding from tree limbs.

Out of the darkness, breaking the harmony, someone called Nikeisha's name. Instinctively, the two young women reached for their weapons. Footsteps crunched in the snow, as a dark figure emerged from the blackness, entering their circle of light.

"Ferran!" Nikeisha cried with relief. "What are you doing here? You should be with your wife." Suddenly she had a sick feeling in her stomach. "She all right, isn't she?"

"She is fine, she is going to be fine," Ferran replied happily with a broad smile, "All thanks to you, both of you."

"Why are you here then?"

"I thought I could show my gratitude by helping you with the gnolls." He raised his hand as Nikeisha began to protest. "Please, for all you have done. Those few coins weren't repayment enough." Nikeisha shrugged, realizing that he would come regardless of what she said, and lead the way to a dark opening in the valley's wall.

"Are you sure?" Dorna asked Nikeisha, looking apprehensively at the cave entrance.

"Yes." She replied wearily letting her light spell extinguish. Dorna had already asked that question, or variations of it, about a dozen times since they had entered the forest.

"How do you know?" she demanded.

"I've been here before." Nikeisha replied with a heavy sigh. Dorna looked at her, as Nikeisha entered the cave to avoid any more questions, with shock.

The cavern was cold and dank. Water dripped from somewhere landing in a puddle with an almost bell like shimmer. Torches flared at irregular intervals lighting the caverns. The air smelt strongly of oily fur and animal droppings, with the faintest hint of dried blood.

The smells, sights, and sounds brought sharply to Nikeisha's mind memories of her prior visit to these caves. The memories were merely flashes of disconnected images, most of dying gnolls, some even crying for mercy as the half elf ruthlessly killed them in a rage, trying to satisfy her lust for vengeance.

The series of images climaxed with the memory of a long, slender, pointed dagger, a dirk, as it struck her in the chest. She could still feel the cold metal as it slid into the upper potion of her left breast.

Somewhere, someone gasped and Nikeisha was surprised to find that the sound had come from her lips even as she clasped her chest.

"Are you alright?" Dorna asked concerned.

"Fine." She replied curtly, taking in a deep breath to steady herself, even as she tried to dredge from her disconnected memories of how she got to the chief gnoll's cavern.

They went from the first cave into another, the only way they could go. Within this second cavern stood a gong, and lying asleep beside it was a gnoll. Somewhere in her memories, Nikeisha could hear the sound of the gong, its unmusical clanging announcing her presence.

It was only now that she realized that the gong was used to warn of an intruder, in fact Nikeisha hadn't even noticed the gongs during her last time here. Although even if she had, there wasn't much she could have done about it, having been on her own.

"They're more intelligent than I thought." Dorna noted as Nikeisha pointed the gong out.

"We'll have to make sure to keep any gnolls we encounter away from the gongs." Nikeisha told them.

"And make sure none escape to warn other up ahead." Ferran added, exemplifying his point by quite calmly set an arrow to his bowstring, and then released it to kill the sleeping gnoll.

Dorna rolled her eyes theatrically, "Stating the obvious must be an elven thing." She noted mockingly. Ferran looked at the dwarf puzzled and somewhat offended, while Nikeisha laughed softly.

They moved through the caverns, going the same way as Nikeisha could remember that she had gone all those years back. It wasn't long before a small group of gnolls attacked them. They followed their obviously stated plan, bringing the gnolls down quickly.

Nikeisha took down the last gnoll, the leader, as he turned to flee towards a nearby gong. She quickly cast flame arrow, striking the fearful warrior creature in the back. He collapsed dead on the ground, only inches away from the gong.

Somewhere in the darkness of a side passage, a male's voice called to Nikeisha and company for help. The sound of the voice, which was not that of a gnoll, startled Nikeisha, causing her to flinch in surprise.

They all peered down the rocky corridor. At the end of the tunnel, the emerald-eyed young woman could just make out a caged section, with something humanoid behind the bars. As they got even closer, she could then see that it was a male half orc.

"Please, can you let me out of here?" he pleaded to them. "Please. I'm Glendir, the eldest son of the Baron of Hilltop, you would be well rewarded for my save release." He added to ensure they would release him.

"Really? The Baron's son, you say?" Nikeisha replied sarcastically, "All these three years I have lived in Hilltop, and I haven't once paid my respects to your father, indeed I have never heard of him." Dorna nodded her agreement.

"Oh, damn it. I thought you might be more inclined to release me if you thought there was a reward involved." Nikeisha left the cage door to search for a key, "Please don't leave me here." Glendir pleaded, thinking that Nikeisha was leaving, "My sister is a blacksmith at Hilltop, she isn't rich, but she could offer a small reward."

"Now that sounds more like the truth." Nikeisha replied as she picked the key up off a large boulder, and then going over to unlock the cage.

"Thank you." Glendir said as he stepped out of his prison and eying Nikeisha up and down. "Could you show me to the exit?"

"Of course." Nikeisha replied, ignoring his gaze that was upon her.

"Perhaps it might be better if one of us take him back." Ferran suggested as they walked back to the main passageway.

"No." Nikeisha disagreed, "We don't dare be separated. It's not that far back anyway"

They quickly retraced their steps to the exit without incident, but with Glendir trying to stay close to Nikeisha. "I _really_ appreciate this," The half orc told Nikeisha when they arrived at the cave opening; "perhaps there _is_ a reward I could _offer_ you." He suggested with a wink.

She boldly looked him up and down, even as he had done to her. "Do you think you have a chance with me?" Nikeisha replied with a wicked, confident laugh and, before he could answer, she left him standing there with a slack jaw.

It took less than quarter of an hour for them to return to the spot where they had encountered Glendir. They moved on, deeper into the twisting cavernous tunnels, engaging into several more skirmishes.

They were about half way through the caves when a horn blew up a side passage that they had just past. The note was brassy, yet low and didn't alert any gnolls. It did however alert three bears, which came lumbering out of the corridor. Following the bears was a single gnoll who whipped unmercifully at the flanks of the already battered bears. The gnoll stayed well behind the bears, using them as a living shield and, in one hand, he held the brass horn they had heard.

Nothing could shield him from Ferran's bow however. The gnoll stiffened with the feathers of Ferran's arrow protruding from his forehead and a trickle of blood running his nose, before collapsing face down on the rocky floor. The horn fell from his limp hand, landing on the rocky floor with a metallic ringing before it rolled past the bears to stop near Nikeisha's feet.

"Nikeisha! The horn!" Ferran bellowed at the young woman, "Blow the horn! It will stop the bears!"

As the half elf moved to cease the brassy instrument, a bear lunged at her. All in one motion Nikeisha dived to the floor, grabbing the horn and blowing it as she rolled out of the way; picking up a few more scrapes and bruises in the process.

It was as she gained her feet that Nikeisha realized that Ferran had an empathic connection with one of the bears. Two of the bears looked up at Nikeisha expectantly, but fearfully. The third, the one that had lunged at her, lay dead on the spot where Nikeisha had stood, several arrows protruding from its body.

Nikeisha reached out with her mind to the remaining bears. The thoughts that come back to her were a jumble of commotion. There was pain and fear of the horn and gnolls, but overlaying it all was an insanity.

The bears had been taken as cubs, so young that they hadn't learnt any skills for survival, they had been beaten and tortured to the point that they were hostile to everything except the horn; the horn they had learnt to obey immediately.

These bears would never be able to survive in the wild, nor could they live with people, the best thing for these bears would be death.

Even as the thought came to Nikeisha so did the plea from both bears. They preferred death, to release them from their misery.

Ferran looked at Nikeisha, a question in his eyes. She took a deep breath, a single tear running down her cheek, before nodding her head. Ferran lifted his bow, his expression grim, as Nikeisha began casting a spell. The arrow released from the bow with a twang and landing with a meaty thud in a bear, Nikeisha's flaming arrows landed similarly in the second bear. As the bears' minds slowly slipped away, Nikeisha could feel their vast gratitude at their release.

"Why did you do that for?" Dorna demanded as they begun to continue their way through the caves.

"They were hopelessly insane." Ferran replied softly when Nikeisha didn't. Dorna nodded her head in understanding; after all, she was clerical, then they all remained silent.

They weren't far from the chief gnoll's cave when Nikeisha paused, raising her hand to keep the others hushed, as she did so. As she listened, she could hear human voices murmuring softly down a side passage.

She crept down the passageway her feet making only the tiniest sound on the rough stones of the floor, and with the other two following close behind. At the end on the tunnel, two gnolls paced across its mouth, guarding the way into a cavern; it was in the cavern that the voices were coming from.

With no cover, except the dark and the shallow crevices in the walls, it wasn't long until the gnolls spotted one of them. The gnolls charged down the dozen or so yards that were left between them, losing the advantage they had of the open cave area. Nikeisha could only stare at their stupidity as Ferran fell the both with his arrows.

Nikeisha continued cautiously down the corridor, but she hadn't moved far when Dorna moved past her. The dwarf stopped near one of the dead gnolls, she stooped and picked something up from next to the body.

"Just a brass key." Dorna muttered even as she placed it in her pocket.

"Dorna what do you think you are doing!" Nikeisha rebuked her.

"What?"

"There could have been more gnolls in hiding in there."

"They aren't smart enough for that." Dorna scoffed.

"They will surprise you, Dorna." Ferran replied sagely.

The cave beyond was rather large with a portion blocked off with a wall of condensed rubble. In the center of the wall was a large locked door. Dorna took the key she had found and put it in the lock.

The key turned easily in the lock and the door swung open to reveal half a dozen humans huddled individually in the back of their cell, all were fearful of who may come through the door for them. In addition to their fright, they all looking tired, miserable and dirty and not a few of them covered in fresh blood and soot.

"Thank the gods, you are human!" one woman exclaimed with tearful relief, as Nikeisha walked into the cell. Nikeisha mentally sighed as once again another human mistook her as full blood human.

Dorna stood on her tippy-toes to whisper softly in Nikeisha's ear. "These people must be from Blumberg." Nikeisha nodded her head, resisting the urge to make a sarcastic remark, as she had already work that fact out for herself.

"Is everyone alright?" Ferran asked gently.

"As good as you can expect in this situation," a middle age man with a gruff voice and well developed torso reply sardonically. Nikeisha considered that the man may have been a blacksmith, "our village, family and friends are all gone."

"It will be alright," Nikeisha said solicitously.

"Alright?" The man asked disbelieving, "How would you know? Have you ever had your home destroyed and everyone you love taken from you?" The man's words stung Nikeisha and she could feel unshed tears glistening in her eyes, yet she felt guilty, that somewhere deep inside her she could, should have prevent this. To prevent this was why she wanted to be an adventuress.

"Hash," the woman who had first spoke rebuked him, "she is only trying to help." She smiled gently at the young red head. "Is the way back clear? I don't think we will survive if we stay here."

"It should be clear, but you still need to be careful," Nikeisha responded in a calm voice even as she fought with her emotions, "perhaps it might be better if we took you to the exit."

"No, we'll be fine." Hash replied curtly, "Where will we go though?" he asked of his fellow slaves.

"Hilltop, I guess." The woman replied, while the rest silently nodded there agreement.

"Alright." Hash said, leading the way out.

The woman was the last to leave. As she past Nikeisha, she placed a gentle hand on the half-elven's shoulder and thanked her for saving them all.

Nikeisha retraced their steps back up the passageway, turning at the corridor's end to move deeper still into the maze of caves. There didn't travel for long when they came to a tunnel that was barred at the upper end by two large doors, in front of the doors were two guards.

The guards didn't make any moves to attack when they saw the trio, but instead held the doors open for them.

"Why don't you join us?" Nikeisha enquired stopping in front of them. They looked hesitantly at each other. "Come now, don't make me insist," she said coyly, "but there is no way I am going to leave you two behind me." The two gnolls reluctantly led the way into the chamber beyond the doors.

The cavern was quite large with around a dozen gnolls inside. At the center was a throne like chair and upon it was the gnoll chief. In front of the chief was a dark blacken spot, and Nikeisha did her best not to look at it.

A low growl came from the chief and Nikeisha hand instantly tightened around her weapon. "Gishnak say hold! You come no further! We speak now, not fight." He peered at Nikeisha for a moment, as if she was familiar to him but couldn't place her, then his eyes widen in fear. "You! Gishnak thought you dead?"

"Well sorry to disappoint you, Gishnak." Nikeisha said coyly, but even as she said those words her eyes flicked to the blacken patch and the flash of a memory came to her. The memory was one of emotions; the feel of physical, emotional and mental pain, the taste of betrayal and a seething rage that consumed all humanity, but overall the fear of an approaching death, one that she was certain would befall her before long.

"Why have you returned?" Gishnak asked fearfully, breaking Nikeisha's reminiscence.

"I hear that you have let your tribe become a tool again." Nikeisha answered spitefully, "I thought you would have learnt from the last time." She was quite aware of the startle looks that both Dorna and Ferran were giving her.

Gishnak snarled yet there was still fear in his dog like voice, "J'Nah? It for our hated mistress that you came?"

"Yes, where is she?"

"You not here for the vengeance you once promise?" Gishnak pressed the issue.

"I could be, if you keep stalling?" Nikeisha threaten, losing her patience and raising her hands as if she was about to cast a spell.

The chieftain yelped coming to his feet. "Please. Please, great and powerful sorceress, don't hurt Gishnak," he begged, "Gishnak will tell what he know, if-" his expression became sly, "if you make a promise"

"I'm listening." Her tone held no assurance that she would agree.

"Gishnak tell if you promise to no more kill tribe, and to leave our treasures and slaves." Nikeisha cast a sidelong glance at Dorna at the mention of treasures.

"Very well. I agree, if you also promise to not attack us."

The gnoll snarled. "Promise." He agreed, although seemed crestfallen. The chief came towards Nikeisha and handed her a key. "Key open door" he said pointing at another double door at the back of the cave. "J'Nah in funny caves beneath Gnolls' caves. Go, find the sorceress J'Nah, if you can."


	12. Apprentice's Endgame

They followed a narrow rocky passageway that took them deeper into the mountainside. Time seemed eternal in this cold, dark place and the air grew thicker, stuffier, as the minutes dragged on. The quietness led to profound thoughts. The gnoll chieftain's finally words, _"Go, find the sorceress J'Nah, if you can"_, troubled Nikeisha and she was fearful that she was being led into a trap.

Suddenly the passageway opened into a small cavern. There were no more passages from this cavern but someone had excavated in the centre of the cave and a strong rope was dangling down the hole, tied to a rock. Nikeisha approached the hole, picking up a small rock on her way.

She dropped the rock down the opening listening for its impact with the bottom so she could gage the depth. The half elf, tagged at the rope, checking that it was secure, then she began the climb down, descending into the unknown below.

The area below the gnolls' caves wasn't dark as one would had expected, but instead glowed with a soft light that was like nothing Nikeisha had seen. She looked around, they were in a room, a ruin, and judging from the architect it was of Netherese origin.

Five doors surrounded them. The first was a massive double door, like one would see as the entrance to a palace. The other four were simple doors but each door radiated with its own coloured light; red, blue, green and white. It was the light from these doors that infused the room with its subtle luminosity.

In the centre of the rubble strewn floor stood a lever and on each side of the main door stood two pedestals. They all move across the debris littered floor testing each and ever door, but they all were locked with a magical seal. Then Nikeisha went over to the lever and putted it.

The lever began to shine with a light and door with the corresponding coloured light opened. They entered into a passage that also glowed with the same coloured light. There were other corridors off from the one they followed; glowing in a different light, but Ferran threw a stone down one of these corridors setting of a trap.

The passageway wasn't deserted, flying mephit, small vaguely humanoid creatures with wings, pointed ears and horns, flew about the corridors, trying to lure the adventurers into traps. At the end a great element was house, and after they defended it they were transport back to the main room, where one of the pedestals glowed with a light.

They repeated the process until all the pedestals glowed, each with a colour of one of the doors. Once all four pedestals were illuminated the main door opened to reveal a small entrance chamber with a door that led off from it. Behind the close door a voice could be heard, although indistinct.

They crept on silent feet to the door, and Nikeisha opened it just enough so they could see what was happening in the next room. The room was quite large, and columns, space regularly about the room, supported the massive ceiling. Cobwebs hung thickly in the corners and dust coated the floor's edges.

A hellhound paced the upper section of the room, while three male warriors of elven appearance stood guarding a woman of the same heritage and a quasit, a creature much like the mephit but more powerful, hovered above her. The voice belonged to the woman as she chanted; casting a summoning spell that Nikeisha wasn't familiar with.

The air before the elven woman blurred and when it cleared an apparition of a hooded woman stood before her. The illusionary woman's voice was hard and cruel as she berated the elven woman, whom she identified as J'Nah, for not having found some orb that she sought after. Nikeisha idly wondered what orb were they talking about and how this fitted in with J'Nah's alliance with the dragon as an orb wasn't one of the artifacts.

In her inattentiveness she lean slightly on the door, opening it a fraction more and with that small fraction the hinges squeaked with the rust of the ages. Nikeisha hoped and prayed that no one heard the sound but the quasit turned to look at the door.

"Well, what do we have here?" he demanded spying the three at the door.

They all turned to look at the group of adventurers even as the apparition disappeared with the final threat that she wouldn't tolerate any more failure.

"Just who are you to trespass on my lair?" J'Nah demanded arrogantly.

Nikeisha knew it would be foolish to not answer her, so she brazenly opened the door completely and approached the haughty woman until she stood only feet away.

"So you are J'Nah." Nikeisha stated pleasantly as Ferran and Dorna took positions behind her. She peered closely at J'Nah, though she looked like an elf there was some traces of another heritage that Nikeisha didn't recognize.

"Don't be pert, girl! You aren't smart enough to be deceiving!" she gave the half elf a superior look. "Now who are you?"

"My name is Nikeisha." The young faired skin girl said, "You aren't fully elven, are you?" she asked, her curiosity winning out.

J'Nah first looked stunned then a sly smile crept onto her face. "No I'm not. I am what is known as a Daemonfey, sun elves bred with demons to produce my family. You are very perceptive." Her smile broadened, "Of course, since our existence is a secret, I'm afraid I shall have to destroy you." With that she began to cast a spell.

Nikeisha wasn't quick enough to cast a spell in defence, but she was able to counter-spell J'Nah even as Dorna cast a spell that destroyed the hellhound in an implosion and one of Ferran's arrows pieced through the heart of one of J'Nah's bodyguards. The oily smile slid off the Daemonfey's face as she realized that she was up against a fairly talented sorceress and the sorceress' friends were systematically slaughtering her own henchmen.

The quasit droved at Nikeisha, but, with an underarm throw, she threw her dagger at him. The quasit dodged the dagger and it went skidding across the floor, but it was unable the dodge Ferran's arrow as it caught him in the head. The quasit fell to the ground convulsing.

Nikeisha risked a quick look around even as she countered another of the other sorceress' spells. Dorna and Ferran had already dispatched the remaining two guards and the dwarf was flanking J'Nah. J'Nah, distracted by Dorna's movement turned her head in irritation. It was at this time that Ferran released the arrow he held in the taunt bow string, the arrow flew true, to protrude from the Daemonfey's neck. Nikeisha turned to look around the room in order to not watch the sorceress as she crumbed to the floor.

There were five other doors to the room they stood in; one directly opposite the door they entered through and two on each of the left and right walls.

As the woman hit the floor there was a dull clink sound. Nikeisha turned back to see what the sound was, and there on the floor laid a black dragon tooth; the last of the four artifacts located.

She swiftly picked it up and put it in her pack then they quickly move to the side doors to check for any more enemies that may be hiding. The pair of doors for each side only led to a single room. Both of theses smaller rooms appeared to have been a library, though the rooms were in disarray, full with dust, more cobwebs and decaying furniture.

They went to the last door. The room beyond it was larger than the previous two, but again it appeared to be another library, although it had been fixed up. In the centre floated a white ball of light, a wisp.

As Nikeisha entered the room she heard whispering in her mind, it took a few moments for Nikeisha to realise that the wisp was trying to telepathically communicate with her; thoughts and feelings past through her.

She could feel that its name was Azith, and it had a strong desire for magic. Several images flashed before her mind's eye showing her disappearing and appearing outside the cave entrance. The feelings associated with the images suggested that this is what the wisp was created for and a token of magic was needed for this to happen.

"One simple spell and you will teleport us to the surface. That's how it words?" Nikeisha clarified. Overwhelming feelings of anticipation and excitement washed over her, it was much like an overenthusiastic puppy. "Alright." She laughed, casting a small spell on it.

A white light surrounded them and when it cleared they stood in the High Forest, some feet away from the cave. Dawn was beginning to break over the trees, its pale light pinking the horizon, bringing the prospects of a clear day.

They proceeded through the forest to the spot where Ferran had left them the night before, where again he said his goodbyes. "Be careful with the dragon." He cautioned before melting into the forest.

It was a couple of hours after midday when they arrived at Tymofarrar's squared off rock to knock loudly the way he had instructed them. The rock face vanished to reveal Tymofarrar's lair. They walked in to face the white dragon.

Nikeisha was hesitant. She didn't trust the dragon; she would be a fool to, considering he had betrayed his last ally. Unconsciously she began to prepare herself for the worst case scenario.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my intrepid warmling." Tymofarrar mocked, though seem generally surprised as they entered. "Is the deed done?"

"It is." She replied cautiously.

"You actually did it. Wonders will never cease." He smiled cunningly. "And for your endeavour I shall make your death quick and relatively painless." His neck lashed out, bringing his sharp teeth towards the young half elf. Prepared for his treachery, she tumbled away with the agility of her elven heritage, causing the dragon to smack his face on the stone floor.

Dorna, who also had ready herself to be betrayed, rushed in to hit the white scale neck, her heavy axe barely chipping the scales. The dragon turned towards the dwarf in irritation, but she had already hid behind some rocks. The moment's inattention was all the Nikeisha need to cast a fire base spell, knowing that white dragons had a slight weakness to that type of spell, although it wasn't much. Most dragons had at least some resistances to magic and there scales were an effective armour.

Tymofarrar continue to attack, growing more frustrated as the girls dodges he every move and weaken his armoured scales with their assault.

Suddenly the dragon let out a howl of annoyance and pain as Dorna's blade slipped between two scale and bit deep into the muscle of his neck. He swung about to attack the dwarven girl as she dashed to the other side.

Nikeisha could see the wound as the neck muscles stretch against it. The gash oozed blood though was hardly mortal but she could see a blood vessel, the size of her upper leg, throbbing.

She snatched her dagger from its sheath on her right thigh and lunged at the lesion heedless of the dragon. The fire enhanced weapon easily sliced open the large vessel and it squirted blood all over Nikeisha even as she quickly moved to a safe spot praying that the cut would now be fatal.

She wiped the blood from her face in time to see the white dragon rearing in rage. Gallons of blood flowed from the wound, turning Tymofarrar's front crimson. Then he collapsed to the rocky floor with a heavy boom as his heart starved from lack of blood.

They both sunk to the floor with relief that it was over and they were alright. Nikeisha looked at Dorna then down at herself, their clothing was scorched and covered in tears, just about every bit of exposed skin was covered in abrasions, cuts or bruises and they were both covered in blood; in her case, she was drenched.

Nikeisha covered her face with her hand, and then she started to giggle, her giggle soon turned to laughter.

"What's funny?" Dorna demanded, irritated.

"I just can't believe we fought a dragon and came out of it in one piece." She explained with mirth. Dorna face was like a thunder cloud, and then suddenly she too began to laugh.

"Look." Dorna pointed, still chuckling. "The dragon's hoard." She said, going over to it.

Nikeisha followed wearily. The hoard wasn't big, only consisting of a small pile of gold coins, jewels and several small magical items, one of them being the mask. Nikeisha watched Dorna as she dutifully packed the hoard into their bags.

Once the dwarf was satisfied that she had all of the dragon's treasure they headed back to Blumberg and Deekin.

Dusk was hovering on the horizon when the pair arrived to the half ruin store Deekin was in, still hiding behind the counter.

"Deekin, it's just us." Nikeisha called out, so not to frighten him.

"Ooh, elfish human returns. Elfish human have news for Deekin?"

"Tymofarrar is dead."

Deekin looked suspiciously at Nikeisha and Dorna, taking in their dishevelled appearance. Then he relaxed. "I guess you tell truth. You look like you been to hell." He began to dance around the room. "Master dead. Deekin free. Master dead. Deekin free." He sung. He dance he way over to Nikeisha and with a flourish he handle her the broken tower statue.

She peered at the object as Deekin continued to sing and dance. It was octagonal shaped, about the length of her forearm. It was as wide as her hand and quite plain with a door at the base. Half of the top was crushed and a crystal was nestled inside. Nikeisha pulled out the crystal. It was perfectly round and very smooth.

"Deekin wonder what he do now." Deekin said as Nikeisha replaced the crystal back then put the tower into her pack. But before either Nikeisha or Dorna could reply Deekin spoke again. "Deekin thinks he need time with Deekin." And with that he left. With nothing left to do Nikeisha and Dorna used their rings to teleport themselves back to Drogan's.

Nikeisha had forgotten about her blood-soaked and bedraggled appearance, so she was quite surprised by the greeting they got when they arrived in the common room. Ayala's face had gone ghost white while Mischa let out a little cry. Xanos and Drogan, who were sitting before the fire, turned to see what was wrong. Xanos' sat in shock, while Drogan gravely walked over to the girls.

"Is any of that yours?" he asked gesturing at her clothes.

"Perhaps a tiny bit." She replied. The old dwarf nodded satisfied. "I've found the rest of the artifacts."

Drogan's smile was like the sun come up. "Well my girl, I knew you could do it. Well trot them out, let us see them." She did as he asked. He looked at each items then placed them in the chest by the little table, the others had also gathered to see the items. The last one Nikeisha gave to Drogan was the tower.

"What's this?" he exclaimed. "It's broken."

"I'm sorry. The kobold I got it from had accidentally broken it." She explained. "There is some kind of crystal inside of it."

"How remarkable." Ayala marvelled

"Truly." Drogan agreed, "The power it's giving off it extraordinary."

"A sorceress named J'Nah was looking for an orb for someone." Dorna chimed in. "The crystal is like an orb, perhaps that's what she was after."

"Who's J'Nah?" Drogan asked, and then changed his mind. "Never mind you can tell me all about it later. Well, obviously this isn't safe here," he pointed at the orb "so what we need to do now is get it away from here, and we need to identify it." He smiled beautifully. "Of course the two tasks can be done as one."

"Quit showing off dwarf," Ayala snapped, "and get on with it"

"Alright woman." He snapped back. "I have a friend, an archaeologist, who went to the Anauroch Desert last year with a Halfling caravan. He should be able to identify the orb."

"The Halflings are just outside Hilltop." Dorna said.

"Ah good. They should able to take Nikeisha to Garrick, my friend, if Nikeisha will agree to go." He looked expectantly at the fair, red-head and emerald eyed half elf.

"Of course I will go Master Drogan." She answered puzzled by his deferring the decision to her.

"You are not my student anymore, my girl; you completed your last test." He smiled at her as the realisation dawned on her. "You needn't call me Master Drogan anymore, Just Drogan; you never had problems with that name before."

"Do you think sending Nikeisha is a good idea?" Ayala asked worried.

"She is relatively unknown. Hopefully our enemy will not realise her capabilities. Besides they would probably expect me to have it." Drogan didn't seem as confident as he sounded.

"I'll go and organise things with the Halflings." Ayala announced.

"I think I will also send Xanos and Dorna to assist Nikeisha." Drogan told her. "I think this shall be their last test."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He looked at his two apprentices and Nikeisha as Ayala left. "I won't lie to you, this could be dangerous." They all nodded in understanding. "Well now if that's all taken care of, let's see to dinner and you can tell me all about recovering the artifacts."

"If you don't mind," Nikeisha asked, "but I think I'll have a bath first and burn my clothes."

Drogan chuckled. "Of course my girl, of course."

As soon as she left the room, Nikeisha could hear Dorna telling the others about their meeting with the gnolls. In particular the fact she had been there before and speculation of what had happening in that previous meeting. Then she heard Drogan's voice.

"It's none of your business Dorna, and I would thank you not to pursue such a sensitive topic for Nikeisha." Nikeisha felt somewhat embarrassed by it all, but was thankful that Drogan had stopped anyone asking her questions.

After her bath, and burning her clothes, she joined the others for dinner, where Dorna continued to tell them about their adventure. The evening was again light hearted and relaxing, as Xanos poked fun at Nikeisha's adventuring style and she responded with witty remarks.

Though the night was cheerful they were all conscious that after this night they would be separated and when they finally were reunited things wouldn't be the same. Mischa was the one who felt this the most as the others were going out on an adventure, even if it was just to deliver the orb to a wizard named Garrick, while she had to stay behind as Drogan didn't think she was ready to go out without him.

They retired early to be rested for their long trip that faced them. Nikeisha sat in her bed, awake; trying to imagine what life would now be like, where she would go. To start, of course, she would go to the desert to do Drogan's errand and she had decided to return to Hilltop briefly to make her report to Drogan and then? And then the whole world would be open to her.

There was a gentle knock on her door then the door slowly open and Drogan poked his head around the corner. "I was hoping you might still be up." He smiled, and the light of his candle reflected in his grey eyes. "Can I come in?"

"Of course."

He entered and sat on the edge of the bed. "Well my girl, you have came a long way." He marvelled.

"I guess I have." She conceded

He sighed. "You and Ashuador are the most skill adventurers I have ever had the pleasure to teach, maybe even met." He sat there, quiet for a few moments. "You in particular, Nikeisha. For one who never truly applied themselves to learning to be an adventurer until you came to me, you have definitely come far." He took Nikeisha's hands into his. "You have great power Nikeisha, and a great temper." Nikeisha was startled by his words. "Much like Xanos desire for power, you temper has the power to do good or bad, it's your choice." He got up and went to the door. "Remember what I said my girl."

The next day was bitterly cold with strong winds that whipped their cloaks around their ankles and dirty looking clouds across the sky. They briefly said their goodbyes not wanting to dwell upon it and headed their way to the outskirts of Hilltop, where the Halflings waited for them.

Xanos lead the way out of the house while Nikeisha and Dorna walked together behind him. As they past Fiona's smithery, she came bursting out. She appeared furious, yet Nikeisha could see the small smile hovering in the corners of her mouth.

"So you thought you could avoid me by slipping out of town, did you?" she asked in a scathing voice. Nikeisha saw Xanos flinch back from her voice; she knew that this unusually woman intimidated the half orc.

"Well hello Fiona." Nikeisha said pleasantly, playing along with the smithy's game. "You are looking well, I guess being reunited with your with your brother has done you good."

"That half orc of a half brother has destroyed my home. He spilt wine all over my rug."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. If you want I can drag him back to the cave and lock him back up in there."

Fiona took a long look at the half elf and then started to laugh. "Oh Nikeisha," Fiona said wrapping her into a bear hug, "I heard yesterday that you had passed your last test. I'm going to miss you." She released her hold, and then went back into her shop with a brief wave over her head.

The caravan had already began their trek to the desert but had left a message for the adventurers to catch up. They easily caught up to with the caravan about a half of mile to the east. Katriana, the owner of the caravan wasn't too happy about them coming along but was still thankful for the extra protection they provide, although she was quick to point out that with so many in the group it would likely attract more attention, and most of that attention would be bad.

Nikeisha and her friends were not the only additions to the convoy. The little kobold, Deekin, had also joint the expedition. He stood not far from where Nikeisha was speaking to Katriana, rubbing his foot on the ground and looking at her expectantly, as if he was hoping that she would see him; remember him.

"What are you doing here Deekin?" She asked him.

The kobold face lit up, happy that she had indeed remembered him. "Deekin serve as cook. Deekin think being on caravan good way to see world." He smiled at the thought. "And one day Deekin be an adventurer side kick and write a great epic."

He continued to tell her about his plans as the caravan moved out and the bells on the oxen clang their mournful sound.


	13. The Sting of an Adventure

The oxen bells rang mournfully with every plodding step as the caravan slowly moved south easterly toward the Delimbiyr River, skirting the edge of the High Forest. They then turn southward to follow the river as it made its way out of the mountains to join up with other rivers as they continued their endless journey towards the sea. The caravans' journey, however, was in the opposite direction to the ocean, so at the Gray Peak Mountains they again headed easterly passing through the mountains and on into the Anauroch Desert.

The trek hadn't been easy, and it showed no prospects of improving. The weather was poor the majority of the time, sometimes even worst – after all it was winter. There were also some bands of thieves, though it wasn't anything that they couldn't take care of. Xanos, peculiarly, delighted it the attack as he would pillage the bodies afterwards, moving quicker than Dorna, and keeping the spoils all to himself.

As they walked Dorna told Nikeisha more about her sister; how she had joined a group of adventurers after her exile that turned out to be inept mercenaries and driven by a need for survival the group attack the clans' storehouses and consequentially she, as well as the rest of the raiders, was slain.

Dorna wasn't the only one that talked to Nikeisha about their past. Deekin told Nikeisha how Tymofarrar initially was teaching him to be chief, but found the little kobold to be so amusing that the white dragon kept him around as his personal jester and bard. Deekin, however, developed dreams of writing his own adventure stories, like the ones he use to tell to his former master. And somewhere along the lines the little kobold had develop the habit of calling Nikeisha 'Boss'.

They made camp a few miles before the edge of the desert and the next morning Nikeisha dressed herself in a bleached short-sleeved cotton blouse with a blue cotton vest and blue and white shorts that exposed nearly all of her thighs. She still wore her jet-black knee high boots with gold trimming, with her black and gold trimmed pouches hanging from her belt, and her dagger, sheathed in its scabbard, was still strapped to her right thigh.

The air was still quite frigid and goose bumps dimpled the surface of her skin, but Nikeisha ignored it as she left the caravan that she shared with Dorna, Katriana, and the fortune teller, Daschnaya. It was still dark outside as the young half-elf confidently made her way to the fire to get some breakfast. The eyes of every male in their entourage were on her and she was even aware that Torias was licking his lips, savoring the taste of what he perceived as a delicious view.

Torias made Nikeisha nervous. He never missed an opportunity to hit on her, even going out of his way to create an opening, despite Nikeisha constant rejections or her threats of violence. She was sure he had a death wish, as she woke up one night with him trying to get into her bed. He claimed afterwards that he had entered the wrong caravan and it was just happens that his bed is in the same spot as hers.

She guessed that the Halfling's attentions were somewhat of her fault. She did playfully flirt with him, as she did with most males, he was the first to not be able to take no as an answer though.

They continued their journey before the sun rose, and wasn't before long that what had been cold was now pleasantly warm. They reached the desert by mid-morning and by noon the pleasant warmth was uncomfortably hot.

Daschnaya handed out a paste for everyone to put on to prevent any of them getting actually sun burn, but their skin still felt like it was burning from the heat and the sun's rays were like hammers upon their heads.

At first their sweat caused their clothes to stick to their skin but soon it became so hot that their sweat dried before they even felt it and the clothes themselves made everything seem that much hotter.

It was while the caravan had paused briefly for their midday meal that Nikeisha removed her blouse to reveal the white corset that she wore underneath. The corset was boneless, allowing a reasonable amount of movement and it was plain with the neck line started just under the arms and continued across to the other side in a straight line, and it cross tied in the front. She put the vest back on, for the sake of a little decency, and stuffed the shirt into her pack. As she stood up and hoisted her bag onto her shoulders again she notice that Xanos was looking at her intensely, in particularly at the cleavage that the corset reveal.

"Nikeisha what's that scar there?" the half orc asked puzzled.

"Which one?" Dorna inquired from where she stood nearby, eyeing the several scars that were on the red head's body. Most were from childhood but a few were receive during her training and a few red ones from her last quest, most that would heal completely with time to leave no marks.

"The one that's on her left breast." Xanos answered without thinking of the implications.

"Why Xanos!" Nikeisha replied playfully in a shock voice, "are you looking at my breast?" A rosy blush crept up his face as he spluttered, trying to dignify his observation. Nikeisha gave an impish little laugh and walked off, glad that she didn't have to talk about the scar.

The sun was behind them, projecting their shadows far in front, when they topped a hill to look down upon an oasis glittered orange from the setting sun with green foliage around it, and the town of Blacksands that had sprung up around it.

The town was huddled on the east side and from a distance it appeared that all the building had been white wash. Katriana decided to send the caravans to set up camp outside of the town while she went in to find someone to guide them through the desert as it is easy to get lost in this vast desert if one was not a native.

The three intrepid adventurers, the desert town setting their curiosity afire, accompanied the surly little woman into town. Deekin wanted to go too, but Katriana put her foot down on that, saying that his presence would be more of an inconvenience than a help. Nikeisha privately agreed; she could imagine how the towns' people would react to a kobold in the midst. It might be just a little hard to hire a guide when everyone is either running in fear or trying to kill poor little Deekin.

The town was dusty and the white buildings were only in the wealthier quarter, the rest were mud brick. Katriana lead them directly to the center of town where the market place was located. Here were some white buildings also but most were simple stalls made from a wooden frame with tent canvas to form the roof.

The market was a busy place. People, more than Nikeisha had seen in one place in her life, moved from store to store; it was so crowded that people often bumped into each other. The store owners hawked their goods, brawling out over the sounds of the crowd, sometimes to call to someone passing by, sometimes just bellowing out what they sell.

Colours overwhelmed the eyes, from the colours of the shops to the items they sell to the clothes of the multitude, even the whiteness of the buildings, reflecting the light of the sun, dazzled ones eyes.

The Halfling had moved off to speak to some men that were dressed in robes of an earthy colour, leaving the adventurers to browse the stalls. While they'll were looking Nikeisha heard Xanos give a startled oath. As she turned to see what was the problem she saw the big half-orc chasing a small boy of seven or so.

She was shocked by this behavior and was about to stop Xanos when she noticed the child quickly and secretly handing an item to a merchant as he passed the merchant's booth. The item looked suspiciously like Xanos' money pouch.

Nikeisha let Xanos go, hoping he wouldn't hurt the child if he did manage to catch up, and went over to the merchant. He brazenly looked Nikeisha up and down, taking note of her outfit, particularly what it revealed, with an oily smile. Her emerald eyes returned the look. The merchant was rather young, perhaps mid twenties, with curly black hair, piercing black eyes and an olive complexion.

"Could I interest the pretty lady in some of this lovely merchandise?" he asked her with a wave at the items he was selling, "or is there _something_ else I could interest you in?" he winked at her.

"Perhaps there is _something_ else." Her voice was sugary, dripping with seduction, as she reached out to run a slender, yet short, finger along the side of his chin.

"And what would that be?" his tone just as seductive as he leaned in closer to her.

"Well see, my friend just got his coin purse lifted and I know you have it." The man tried to pull back, to flee, but Nikeisha quickly clasped the back of his neck, holding him firmly in place, and her dagger was now between their bodies, its point against the man's heart.

"I want it back." She continued in the same tone. He shakily produced the pouch from his clothes and handed it to her. "I wouldn't tell anyone about this. You wouldn't want anyone to find out about your little sideling enterprise now, would you?" She let go of him. "Nice doing business with you." She called to him as she walked over to Dorna.

Xanos returned a few moments later, spitting curses. "Xanos lost him!"

"Was this what you were looking for?" Nikeisha asked sweetly, holding up the pouch.

"How?" the half-orc chocked out.

"Never mind how, just call it a favor." She said handing the small bag to him. He took it from her and shook it, and then his expression became puzzle.

"It feels a bit lighter than normal." He half accused her.

"That's not my _fault_. If it's a problem I can always give it back to the thief." She asked impishly.

"No, no! Xanos thinks it will be fine." He backed off clutching the purse protectively, and went over to Katriana.

"I saw that." Dorna stated.

"Saw what?" the red head asked guiltily.

"The coins from Xanos' pouch."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I'll tell you what. You give me half and I won't tell Xanos." Nikeisha sighed. She pulled out some coins hidden in her clothing and counted out half to Dorna.

"It's only what he owes us from them bands of robbers." Nikeisha defended herself as she handed the coins to the dwarf.

The days in the desert were brutally hot and the nights brutally cold. It was evening, several days after their visit to Blacksands. The guide Katriana had hired was a man named Zidan. He was a tall human, with a crop of thick wavy dark brown, almost to be black, hair with skin the colour of an old sun exposed saddle and the deepest brown eyes Nikeisha had seen. He had change out of his robe and now wore loose fitting pants and top with a hood of some kind.

Zidan was quite reserved, and sat silently around the fire, listening to the talk of the others and sound of Deekin strumming his lute. They were all there except Torias, whom was on sentry duty, and Daschnaya, whom had retired early like usual.

Nikeisha sat upon a wooden box and was talking with the others. A thick blanket was draped over her shoulder and was embroidering a new thick black velvet cloak she had made as she enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the fire. Suddenly Deekin struck up a song about Elminster and one of his adventures. It was a commonly known song and everyone joint in with the singing, though the only person that could be heard singing was Xanos as he bellowed out the words.

When the song had finished Deekin began a new song. This song was of elven origin and it seemed that no one knew the words, though its words were in common. Then Nikeisha began to sing. She wasn't a great singer but she was good, with her voice sweet and pure, she captivate her audience and they all fell still to listen to her.

"Bravo! Bravo." An unfamiliar voice applauded from the darkness behind the half-elf. She leaped to her feet her hand reaching for her dagger. "I wouldn't move if you cared for your little friend here." There was just under a score of them; shabbily dressed ruffians of various race and sex. The man who had spoken, evidently the leader, held Torias, a dagger set against the Halfling's throat.

"And what if we don't care about him?" Nikeisha asked indifferently, as she risked a quick look around, noting that everyone had also jumped to their feet. She also noticed that Dorna wasn't to be seen.

The thieves were astonished by Nikeisha's cold question and they all stared at her. "What do you mean by that?" The leader asked shocked.

"Well you said not to move if we cared. What if we don't?" Her emerald eyes flicked briefly to a small movement behind one of the caravans, where she saw Dorna creeping up on the last bandit.

"I'll kill him I guess." The leader responded uncertainly.

The sound of the body hitting the ground sounded shocking loud in the tension. The leader turned to see what was happening and Nikeisha took her opportunity rush the man. He was dead before he managed to turn back and before any of the other ruffians could make a decision the Halflings, along with Xanos and Deekin, were upon them.

The outcome was pretty much predictable. Some of them received a few nicks but most of the robbers laid dead, the rest ran away when they realize how the situation was turning out. They dragged the bodies away from the caravans and then retired for the night.

The next morning when Nikeisha came out of the caravan she saw that all the others were already in front of the fire eating this morning's breakfast, but Dorna sat somewhat apart from them. The little dwarf looked withdrawn and her face was downcast; something was troubling her.

"What's wrong?" The young half elf asked sitting down beside her dwarven friend.

"Nothing" Dorna responded with a forced smile though her eyes had a haunted look. Nikeisha gave Dorna a look that spoke her disbelief; it was a look very much like what Drogan would give her.

The dwarf sighed. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Handle killing someone." It suddenly dawned on Nikeisha that last night was the first time Dorna had killed a person. She had certainly been involved in previous attacks, but she had only been casting spell in order to distract the bandits, she hadn't been directly involved in one of their deaths.

"You'll learn to accept what you have to do in time." She counseled.

"You never seem to have a problem with it."

"I killed before I arrived at Drogan's." Nikeisha admitted quietly.

"Who?" Dorna asked startled.

"You are changing the subject." The half elven chimed, not wanting to talk about it.

"And you are the master of the obvious."

Nikeisha ignored the comment. "Just give it time," she cautioned, "and I'm here if you ever need to talk."

They moved out about half and hour later. During that time Nikeisha and Dorna continued to talk, though the dwarf spoke no more about her distress. The day continued much the same as every other uneventful day in this desert. The terrain was mostly flat, featureless and sandy, with a few outcrops of rocks here and there. Yet there was a beauty here with the dancing of mirages on the horizon and vibrancy of the few colours that seem to exist here.

The vastness of the desert made one feel small and insignificant, making one look inside one's self and embrace their insignificants, creating a serene peace with one's self. Not all could embrace this and find their tranquility. Xanos' ego wouldn't allow him to accept that he wasn't important and he compensated by complaining steadily about the desert and all manner of other things. Katriana was also bothered by this feeling and she responded by being short-tempered with everyone about everything.

They camped that night in an area that totally devoid of features. There wasn't even an outcrop of rocks, as far as the eye could see, to break up the monotony. Their setting up had become almost instinctive by now. They picketed the animals and secured the caravans while Deekin started the fire and began to cook only the gods know what.

Nikeisha was standing just outside of the light of their fire, looking into its flames and trying to stomach her dinner, when she heard Katriana speaking to her cousin Torias as he went on sentry duty.

"Make sure it's secure this time." The Halfling woman said wearily.

"What? What did I do that would made me worthy of such a tone I wonder." The other little Halfling asked flippantly.

"I have two words, 'bandits' and 'asleep while on watch.'" She replied curtly. It had come to light after the previous night's attack that Torias had fallen asleep.

"That's more like five. Besides you can't expect a man to stay awake with a full tummy and a beautiful angel lulling him to sleep." He replied glancing over at Nikeisha to see what effects his flattery had on her.

"Don't you try blaming this on me." Nikeisha said indignant. She wished profoundly that he hadn't called her an angel.

Katriana scowled at her cousin. "Just be careful. Daschnaya is predicting trouble."

"Daschnaya is always predicting trouble." Torias muttered as he left to take his post as sentry. Katriana sighed then walked away.

It was only a few minutes later when Xanos came over to stand beside Nikeisha, grumbling complaints to himself.

"Will you quit complaining?" Nikeisha demanded in her superior tone, turning her back on the fire to face him.

"Bah. Xanos will continue to complain!" The half orc stated with annoyance. "Never shall he relent."

"Oh joy." Nikeisha said in mock exuberance whilst clapping her hands.

"Yes, it is very good, is it not?" Xanos mocked her back. "Xanos wonders why the little half elf agreed to this." He asked bluntly gesturing out to the surrounding desert. "Xanos and Dorna may not have had a choice, but you did."

"I owe Drogan my life; I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him." Nikeisha answered somberly. "This is the least I can do."

"Pfah. Nikeisha when_ will_ you grow a spine?" Xanos asked, in his arrogance he missed the fact that she had meant literally. "This quest is a waste of Xanos time." He announced keeping true to his word about continuing to complain.

"You don't think this is important."

"Of course not. If it was important Drogan would have done it himself." He said, dismissing their entire quest. "All this is doing is putting ourselves into danger."

"Are you scared of a little danger?" Nikeisha teased.

"Do not be ridiculous. Xanos laughs in the face of danger." He said with a short mocking laugh.

"There's a stinger behind you."

"Very funny Nikeisha." Xanos didn't sound amused.

"I'm serious." She said as the giant scorpion with the head and torso of a human crept closer to the camp.

"Kill it! Kill it!" Xanos cried out like a house wife frighten by a little mouse.

Nikeisha cast a spell and several flaming arrows flew forward, lighting up the sky as they seek their target. The stinger had appeared to of been alone, perhaps a scout, but just before the arrows pierced its body the area around it was lit up and they saw that there was about a dozen of them.

"They are trying to ambush us!" Torias called out having seen Nikeisha's flame arrows and what they had revealed.

The stingers, who were trying to sneak up upon the caravans, now rushed in to attack them. Nikeisha and Xanos cast several spells to slow them down so the others could equip themselves. The spells did more than just slow them down though, it weaken them, and even killed a couple.

Soon the stingers were upon the caravan and the fighting degraded straight into a melee, as everyone fought for their own survival. Despite the spells cast to weaken them, the stingers were harder to fight off then the bandits. In the end they did fight them off, but not without some causality.

Several of the Halflings lay groaning on the ground where they had fallen. Dorna and Katriana were tending to their wounds and all look like they would quickly recover. Suddenly Katriana glanced up and looked around, a panic look on her face.

"Where's Zidan?"

"I don't know." Torias replied, "Perhaps he went into one of the caravans?"

"No, I saw him fighting. Damn! We can't cross the desert without him."

"I'll look for him." Nikeisha offered walking away from the caravans.

She hadn't gone far when she noticed some drag tracks in the gritty sand. Nikeisha followed the tracks which lead to the hole which the stingers had made to gain access to the surface. It was pretty obvious that the stingers had taken Zidan below.

Not sure if she could handle the stingers on her own, Nikeisha returned to the camp. "Did you find him?" Katriana demanded when she came back.

"It looks as if the stingers have taken him." The Halfling gave Nikeisha a look of intolerance. "I'll better find him before the stingers rip him apart then." Nikeisha stated lightheartedly. She was sure that the stingers probably wouldn't do that, they more than likely wanted him as a slave.

"Well it's either that, or we can lose a week going back to Blacksands to hire someone else." Katriana replied waspish. "Just don't do anything foolish."

"You mean like chasing after poisonous creature into their own lair at night?" She asked playfully. She look over at Dorna and was about to ask the dwarf to join her on her little quest, but, before she could say one word, Dorna shook her head, answering the unspoken question.

Nikeisha turned to look at Xanos. "Ah ha. Xanos knew you would need him." She sighed, but didn't speak, then she motion for the big half orc to follow.

They were about half way to the hole when Nikeisha heard someone following them. She turned around to see Deekin.

"Deekin was hoping that he could come with Boss." He told her hesitantly. "Write story perhaps?"

"You want to come?" Xanos asked incredibly, "What is a peep squeak like you going to do? Carry our bags?"

"Erm, nope. Bad back." Deekin replied.

"Alright, you can come." Nikeisha relented. Xanos looked at the red head amazed. "We can look after him Xanos. Besides he certainly held his own with the stingers earlier and he might be useful." Deekin beamed at Nikeisha.

Nikeisha and Deekin made their way carefully down the hole, but Xanos missed his footing, tumbling down to land hard on the ground. Remarkably he didn't receive any serious injuries.

They had entered a long, twisting tunnel. It was form from a reddish colour rock that Nikeisha had already seen many times in the desert. There were more tracks on the ground, leading eastward, so they followed.

Before long they encountered two bow welding stingers. The three adventurers each cast a spell which, unwittingly, was all targeted at the same stinger. That stinger died instantly as it was hit by ice, fire and electricity, while the second one fled up the tunnel. It reached a distance then turned to shoot arrows that fell short of Nikeisha and her friends, but the stinger was out of range for their spells too.

Both Deekin and Xanos went to rush up the tunnel to attack but Nikeisha stop them. They moved slowly and carefully up the tunnel, even as the stinger did, staying just outside of range. The tunnel past, briefly, through a cave and it was here they meet their first ambush. Nikeisha was ready for them as three stinger climbed out of the holes that they laid concealed in.

The stinger with the bow was waiting for them after the fight in the tunnel again and once more it led them through. There was another attempt at an ambush then they entered a large cave, so big that the wall to their right was obscured by a hazy dimness. They heard a door behind them slam shut. They turned to see that the opening they had come through was now blocked by a huge, heavy wooden door. There was a slamming of another door and Nikeisha knew that the opening ahead was obstructed in the same way.

Then a door was heard opening in the hazy dimness and out came roaring a lioness like manticore. It flared its spiked tail around, spraying out poisonous spines and its dragon like wings were raised. Thankfully none of the spurs hit Nikeisha or her friends and, despite its ferocious reputation, it fell easily to one of Deekin's spells.

Xanos used his axe to bash open the lock on the door to proceed deeper into the labyrinth. The archer was waiting for them again on the other side and it quickly disappeared around the corner, this time leading them into a larger group of stingers. It was harder with the increased numbers but once more they were victorious and this time the archer fell with the others.

The passageway began to slope steeply downwards and when they reached the bottom they were confronted with a large door which Nikeisha opened slowly. Beyond were four stingers performing what look like a rite before an altar. Zidan stood, suspended by magic, on the other side. Seeing the trio enter, one of the stingers cast a spell and suddenly there was a horde of ghoul between the intrepid adventurers and the altar.

The ghouls fell easily but no sooner was one killed that it rose back up. Nikeisha knew that the only way to stop them was to kill the stinger that had cast the spell, but she couldn't get through the ghouls nor get a clear view to cast a spell, and an area spell was out of the question incase it hit Zidan. Then she saw that Xanos had somehow gotten near the stinger but the ghouls were trying to get him away.

"Xanos!" Nikeisha called over the noise of the fighting, "Get the stinger! I'll cover you!" Xanos nodded his understanding.

She cast a spell, send balls of electricity into every ghoul, they all fell and the big half-orc rushed to the stinger swinging his axe to sink deeply into the torso, almost severing the human half from the scorpion half; the ghouls did not raised again. The three remaining stingers fell soon after and they were able to rescue Zidan and return him to the caravan.

"Zidan!" Katriana exclaimed with relief, seeing that they had returned. "You a site for sore eyes."

The native smiled warmly. "You must thank Nikeisha that I was able to return. The stingers were planning to sacrifice me to their goddess."

"True enough." The Halfling admitted grudgingly, "I suppose you want a reward?" she asked the half elf.

Nikeisha shook her head. "Why don't you give it to Zidan, as compensation?" Katriana looked stricken as she handed some coins to Zidan.

"Thank you Nikeisha," Zidan said clutching the coins, "for everything."

"Oh yes, lets forget about the half orc, shall we?" Xanos said snippily.

"My apologies. You deserve my thanks too, as does Deekin." Deekin face shone at being noticed.

"Let's all go to bed." Katriana suggested. "It's late and I don't think the stinger will bother us again, but I'll double the watch just to be safe."


End file.
